Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin confirmed that Damian Lillard has indeed requested for a trade away from the team. However, the team exec remained firm on his stance that they are committed to building a contender and are going to do what's best for the franchise and not anyone else.

The Blazers received Lillard's trade request on Saturday, less than 24 hours after free agency opened. It was quite an uneventful day for Portland, with their lone move being a deal to bring back Jerami Grant for five years and $160 million. Lillard's rumored potential target in Draymond Green ended up returning to the Golden State Warriors for a four-year contract worth $100 million.

It certainly only fueled Lillard's desire to get out of Rip City. It has been reported previously that Dame would see first what the Blazers do in free agency before making a decision about his future. Clearly, he didn't like how things went for the team.

Following Lillard's trade request, the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets have been rumored as potential suitors. Another report noted that Dame wants to go to Miami and join the Jimmy Butler-led squad. Based on Cronin's comments, however, the team won't simply give in to his demands.

“We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace else. What has not changed for us is that we’re committed to winning, and we are going to do what’s best for the team in pursuit of that goal,” Cronin said, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Blazers are said to be seeking a “star-level return package” in any deal for Damian Lillard, Woj shared in a follow-up report. Teams who inquired about Lillard's services also reportedly got the impression that Cronin will assess all offers and won't just entertain the Heat despite Dame's desires.

It will be interesting to see where Lillard ends up this offseason. While the Heat are the favorites, it doesn't seem to be a guarantee considering Joe Cronin's latest remarks.