For NBA legend Tracy McGrady, Damian Lillard is right to ask a move away from the Portland Trail Blazers. After 11 years in Portland with little success, it's just time for Dame to try to compete for a championship elsewhere. However, he emphasized that he cannot blame the Rip City franchise for trying to look for the best possible package they can get for their superstar.
As NBA fans would know, Lillard has already asked for a trade away from the Blazers. Nonetheless, the veteran guard apparently only wants to go to the Miami Heat, and he allegedly “wouldn't report” if he's sent elsewhere.
Of course it put the Blazers in quite the predicament. They want to maximize what they can get for Lillard, but the superstar's stance has made other interested teams hesitant in engaging with them for a trade. As for the Heat, while they are willing to work with Portland to get a deal done, there's really not much motivation for them to overpay since they know they have no competition.
That's the reason why the Lillard trade talks haven't made much progress. McGrady, however, has no issue with it since he believes the Blazers should do what's best for the team and not Dame.
“The evolution of the NBA. You get hit with some shit each and every year. Dame, to me, it was time. But if I'm Portland, I got to do what's best for our franchise, as well. I'm not gonna give away you, Dame, with you just coming off averaging 32 points. You still got game. I gotta get someone back that's All-Star caliber,” Tracy McGrady said, per GQ Sports.
It remains to be seen what the Blazers will do on the Damian Lillard trade front. Perhaps playing the waiting game and showing the Heat that they won't budge will eventually force Miami to give what they want. However, that also means the whole saga could take some time.
For now, Blazers fans can only wait and see what happens to the player that has carried the Portland banner for the past decade.
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