The Damian Lillard-Miami Heat trade is reaching a point of exhaustion. So much so, that even the league themselves are visibly fed up with the stalemate presented by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat. Another factor in this situation is the past actions of superstars like James Harden and Kevin Durant.
NBA team owners and GMs have lately been getting tired of superstars requesting trades wherever they see fit. Lillard’s request has come at the boiling point of that tiredness. So Blazers GM Joe Cronin has made it clear that Portland will be trading Lillard only to the franchise that offers them the best exchange package.
This led Lillard’s agent Aaron Goodwin to make several statements to the public about Dame’s single-minded interest in playing for the Heat and his unwillingness to perform for any other franchise.
The NBA Sent Out A Memo To All 30 Teams Threatening Discipline If A Star Publicly Demands A Trade To One Team And Specially Calls Out Damian Lillard And His Agent https://t.co/cYQJdDZlja pic.twitter.com/4IXOFbQQRK
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 30, 2023
The league took notice and has now issued a memo to all 30 NBA teams, that disciplinary actions will be taken against any player who demands to be traded only to a specific team. This has also led to Dame and Goodwin putting out a statement that Lillard will give his “all-out effort” for any franchise that acquires his services.
How many times has James Harden requested a trade?
When the NBA community reads the words “trade request”, James Harden and his ‘fat-suit are the first to come to mind. The former MVP was considered the premier free-agent for the class of 2023. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia 76ers, Harden felt that they have handled his contract extensions poorly and immediately requested a trade-out.
The NBA when The NBA when
Damian Lillard James Harden
requests a trade requests a trade
to only the Heat to only the Clippers pic.twitter.com/LLYNVGtipi— 6 Seasons and a Moving Screen (@NBAGreendale) July 29, 2023
This is coming after only his second year with the Sixers and is quite disheartening for the fans. For the rest of the league, it is unsurprising considering his history with previous franchises.
James Harden is currently doing the same exact thing that Damian Lillard is doing, but for the third time. Tell me, what’s the difference that makes this a much bigger deal?
— 💫 (@chalmersburner) July 28, 2023
This will be marked as James’ 4th time requesting a change of team, a growing number that perhaps doesn’t reflect his greatest qualities.
His first was with the OKC Thunder. Reports emerged that Harden wasn’t being valued by the franchise and was offered enough money. Therefore he decided to leave, taking his talents to the Rockets. By doing so. he broke up the young trio of Harden, KD, and Westbrook.
After being the Rockets’ franchise player for more than 9 years, Harden was tired of playoff disappointment and inadequate co-stars. He demanded a trade in November of 2020 and famously put on weight all throughout training camp and preseason, to hasten the process of the Rockets dealing him.
Then with his next team the Brooklyn Nets, he formed a big three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They however turned out to be one of the biggest fails, in big three history. On February 10th, 2022 the Nets dealt Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, and the rest is history.