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Earlier this month, nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard determined he was prepared to maneuver on from the Portland Path Blazers.
Lillard requested a trade from Portland, and the staff is working to “accommodate” him, in response to a number of stories.
Within the weeks since, stories have surfaced that Lillard’s representatives have made it clear he solely needs to play for the Miami Warmth in 2023-24.
The posturing prompted the league to difficulty a memo to all 30 NBA groups, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Friday.
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Damian Lillard of the Portland Path Blazers throughout a sport March 19, 2023, on the Moda Heart Enviornment in Portland, Ore. (Sam Forencich/NBAE by way of Getty Photos)
In response to the memo, Lillard or his agent, Aaron Goodwin, might face self-discipline from the league in the event that they made any additional feedback on solely focusing on one staff for a potential trade.
The memo additionally warned that different gamers may very well be punished sooner or later in the event that they engaged in comparable conduct.
POTENTIAL DAMIAN LILLARD TRADE COULD TAKE ‘MONTHS,’ TRAIL BLAZERS GENERAL MANAGER SAYS
“Current media stories acknowledged that Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, known as a number of NBA groups to warn them towards buying and selling for Lillard as a result of Lillard’s solely desired commerce destination is Miami. Goodwin additionally made public feedback indicating that Lillard wouldn’t totally carry out the companies known as for below his participant contract if traded to a different staff,” the memo, obtained by Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, states.
It added that the NBA performed interviews with Lillard and Goodwin.
Damian Lillard of the Portland Path Blazers drives towards the Houston Rockets within the first quarter on the Moda Heart Feb. 26, 2023, in Portland, Ore. (Alika Jenner/Getty Photos)
“We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and likewise spoke with a number of NBA groups to whom Goodwin spoke. Goodwin denied stating or indicating to any staff that Lillard would refuse to play for them. Goodwin and Lillard affirmed to us that Lillard would totally carry out the companies known as for below his participant contract in any commerce state of affairs. The related groups supplied descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that had been principally, although not fully, in step with Goodwin’s statements to us.”
The memo additionally acknowledged that Lillard and Goodwin had been inspired to not make remarks that advised the NBA star would refuse to “totally carry out the companies known as for below his participant contract within the occasion of a commerce.”
“We now have suggested Goodwin and Lillard that any future feedback, made privately to groups or publicly, suggesting Lillard is not going to totally carry out the companies known as for below his participant contract within the occasion of a commerce will topic Lillard to self-discipline by the NBA,” the memo mentioned. “We even have suggested the Gamers Affiliation that any comparable feedback by gamers or their brokers might be topic to self-discipline going ahead.”
Damian Lillard of the Portland Path Blazers with the ball in the course of the second half towards the Utah Jazz at Vivint Enviornment March 22, 2023, in Salt Lake Metropolis. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Photos)
The Warmth and the Trail Blazers have but to return to a proper settlement a couple of commerce for Lillard. The 33-year-old level guard does have a number of years remaining on his contract with the Blazers, which doesn’t embrace a no-trade clause.
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The NBA already has guidelines in place concerning commerce requests being publicly issued. Gamers or their representatives are permitted to make requests privately.
Lillard has spent his total 11-year NBA profession with the Blazers.
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