Portland Trail Blazers legend Damian Lillard's wish to be traded to the Miami Heat looks unlikely to be granted after general manager Joe Cronin said he was willing to wait "months" to secure the right deal for the franchise.
The seven-time All-Star has spent his entire NBA career in Portland but has grown increasingly frustrated with the direction of the organisation in recent seasons, missing the playoffs in back-to-back years.
Lillard, who turns 33 later this week, has formally requested a trade away from the Blazers and he has made clear that Miami – who lost to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals last month – is his preferred destination.
However, it has been widely reported that Portland is not enamoured with the trade capital they could receive from Miami, who have been eager to centre any deal around reigning Six Man of the Year Tyler Herro. After drafting Scoot Henderson with the third-overall pick in last month's NBA Draft, the Blazers' backcourt is well stocked with Shaedon Sharpe having a strong rookie year in 2022 and Herro would be surplus.
Therefore, the potential route of sending Lillard to Miami is complicated and would likely involve a third team. But with the player lacking a no-trade clause in his contract, the Blazers have most of the cards in their favour and Cronin says the team will take all the time they need to make a decision.
"I think what I've learned more than anything is patience is critical," Cronin said at a press conference at the NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas. "Don't be reactive. Don't jump at things just to seemingly solve a problem.
"I think the teams that have ended up in the most positive situations post-trade have been the ones that have been really diligent in taking their time and not been impulsive, or the teams that really kept their urgency under control.
"So I think that's how my approach has been with this and will be with this. We're going to be patient; we're going to do what's best for our team. We're going to see how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months."
The fact the Blazers are in no rush to part ways with one of their greatest players confirms the notion that they are acting without sentiment in mind and they are not fixated on helping Lillard find a way to Miami; instead, they will act in their own interests.
It also solidifies the sense that Portland is not interested in what the Heat can offer in a two-team trade that does not involve star men Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo.
For Lillard, he must play the waiting game and the only way he and his representatives can influence his market is by making clear he does not want to play for certain teams. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Lillard does not want to play for the LA Clippers or the Boston Celtics despite interest from both franchises.
"I think the answer has been a resounding no," Charania told The Pat McAfee Show. "He wants to be in Miami, period. If you trade for him, I think there's a risk of trading for a disgruntled player."
