(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Miami Heat have been at the forefront of many NBA offseason conversations as they have been recently linked to Damian Lillard.
Lillard has expressed unhappiness with the Portland Trail Blazers and has even requested a trade.
When these reports came to light, several analysts put together trade packages, trying to predict what a deal between the two parties could look like.
Despite Lillard’s current feelings towards the organization, a recent report has indicated that the Trail Blazers aren’t budging.
As Barry Jackson noted, the Trail Blazers are not “engaging with Miami in negotiations.”
Per source, Portland has remained disinclined to engage Heat in serious trade discussions on Lillard. Blazers acting disinterested about dealing him here. One would think Blazers would get serious about this at some point, but they’re still not engaging Miami in negotiations
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 1, 2023
What’s next for the involved parties?
Lillard is clearly frustrated with the Trail Blazers, and it seems that the Heat are the only team he is interested in.
However, if the Trail Blazers are truly unwilling to discuss a trade with the Heat, his hands could be tied.
This could lead Lillard to refuse to report to team activities, and potentially threaten to sit part, if not all of the season out.
While he hasn’t necessarily indicated that he is willing to go to those lengths, anything can happen in the NBA.
The league has transformed, as it is more player-centric now than it ever was before.
If the biggest stars aren’t being treated fairly, at least in their opinion, it could be trouble for the league as a whole.
This saga continues to be one of the biggest stories of the NBA’s offseason, and more updates are certain to follow regarding this tumultuous situation.
The post Blazers Reportedly ‘Disinclined’ To Engage Heat In Damian Lillard Trade Talks appeared first on The Cold Wire.