A surprising report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania has outlined the NBA’s stance on the saga involving Damian Lillard.
The star point guard has requested a trade in the wake of the Portland Trail Blazers opting to use their No. 3 overall pick on Scoot Henderson instead of trading it in exchange for someone who could help deliver immediate success.
It’s no secret that Lillard wants to go to the Miami Heat. And, according to Charania, with the player and his agent making it clear that they don’t want to do business with any other team, the league has decided to get involved.
“The league advised both Lillard and Goodwin that any future comment of the sort, as far as him wanting to only play in Miami, will potentially subject him to discipline I’m told,” the insider said on The Rally.
Charania noted that both Lillard and agent Aaron Goodwin were interviewed by the NBA and Goodwin denied having dissuaded other teams from making offers for the player. Teams interviewed by the league were said to have given statements that were consistent with what Goodwin said.
The NBA has sent a memo to all 30 teams to state unequivocally that Lillard, Goodwin, or any other player or agent who uses such rhetoric when it comes to potential trades could face discipline.
