Reports now suggest that Damian Lillard ‘has left everything up to Portland’ as he wishes to make the Blazers stronger

After a hurricane of trade speculations hit the Portland camp suggesting that team star Damian Lillard was considering making a move far away from the Trail Blazers, a new source has cleared the air and now says that he wishes to stay with his team. 

These past weeks, Miami appeared to be one of the most interested parties in trading for the point guard’s services, especially as they lost the possibility of acquiring Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns. According to reports, Jimmy Butler was serving an important role in the Heat’s recruiting attempts, as he was helping his team convince Lillard to come to South Beach.

Nevertheless, NBA insider Shams Charania recently attended the “Pat McAfee Show” and shed some light on the matter, explaining that Lillard is now inclining to stay in Oregon if the team improves the roster around him. For the veteran guard, his wishes are to help his squad take the correct steps foward towards bolstering the Blazer’s competitiveness.

“Damian Lillard has left everything up to Portland… He wants to be there and he wants that team to get better”, The Athletic’s Chams Sharania said.

Check out Brian Windhorst’s take on the matter as he was invited today to the speak on ESPN’s “Get Up”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOK1f2PJAqo

As the Portland squad have earned the right to draft the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft this Thursday, the NBA insider reveals that the team isn’t interested in exchanging this asset and could use it to build a stronger roster around Lillard.

“With discussions with teams in the last days, the Blazers have started to indicate that they won’t trade the No. 3 pick and that they may end up deciding to draft the player there, whether it’s Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, because they don’t necessarily love the options they’re being offered for number three,” he said.

“So I checked in the Lillard’s side of things, whether there had been a change of heart,” Windhorst revealed. “And I was told unequivocally that no, Dame does not want a youth movement, he wants to play with veterans.”

This means that even if the No. 3 pick stars with the Trail Blazers, Lillard is expecting them to trade in other heavy weights.

Miami might still be option for Lillard if Portland doesn’t move fast in this summer transfer window

“Miami’s focus is Portland superstar Damian Lillard with the genuine belief this could be the offseason the veteran guard seeks a change of scenery, league sources tell,” said senior NBA insider Chris Haynes.

The Blazers point guard shot (.463) from the field and (.371) from beyond the arc this past season, which is exactly the kind of offensive scoring and efficiency that Miami missed in the NBA Finals.

This postseason, we witnessed Butler and Bam Adebayo not having any other star players who can shoulder the offensive responsabilities in the squad. The reason Miami needs a player like him is because Lillard has taken the heavy burden of guiding Portland’s offensive responsabilities throughout almost his entire career.

The Heat will continue to try and recruit Lillard to join the Miami Heat for the 2023/24 campaign.