Damian Lillard background
It feels like an eternity, though only a week before Damian Lillard asked to leave the Portland Trail Blazers. After the start of free agency, it became clear that the Blazers could not do what Lillard had hoped for to justify staying with the team.
The 32-year-old is at a turning point in his career and is ready to fight for a championship.
The Trail Blazers, as much as they've been good to Lillard, simply can't provide him with the strength to compete for a championship. Once Lillard realized this, he decided to go away.
Of course, what complicates the whole process since the trade request is that Lillard has insisted that he only wants to be traded to the Heat. As you might imagine, this illusion casts a shadow over Lillard.
If the Blazers still want Damian Lillard to stay with the Blazers next season and get through that process unscathed, it's because they get what they want in Lillard's return, because the Heat won't impress management.
What is the Portland Trail Blazers asking price for Damian Lillard?
So what exactly is Lillard's asking price? Well, no one seems to know, until now.
According to a recent report, the Blazers are demanding four first-round picks and two quality players in any trade for Lillard. On the one hand, it seems difficult considering that Lillard and his agent put the team in the following situation.
On the other hand, this is not a big problem. That's the NBA's current superstar market. If the Heat can't reach or get very close to that asking price, they can't look for stars in the market, let alone superstars.