Why Lillard trade demand may signal a change in philosophy for NBA franchises – Breath of Fresh Air

Business can be messy, and it might become even more so in the future

We all know the way the NBA works these days. More than any other league, the players are the ones who ultimately hold the power more often than not. It’s common to see stars sign long-term deals with their current teams, only to request a trade when a no-win situation stays that way a year later (or maybe in shorter time than that). So it probably shouldn’t be much of a surprise to hear point guard Damian Lillard wants to be traded away from the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Miami Heat being the preferred destination. We’ll get into the specifics of how we got here in a moment, but just remember it’s okay for multiple things to be true at the same time, even if society wants to dictate right or wrong.

Let’s start with the facts in this matter. In an era where players staying with the original team that drafted them has become a thing of the past, Lillard is the anomaly in the equation. The now 33-year-old guard out of Weber State has played all 11 of his professional seasons with the Trail Blazers, so it’s not like loyalty has been an issue. With that said, Portland has paid a pretty penny to keep him there. Lillard signed a two-year, $121.77 million extension (according to Spotrac) to stay in the Pacific Northwest until the end of the 2026-27 season. That’s almost a $61 million average over those two seasons, and that’s just the latest of the big money deals the Trail Blazers have given Lillard during his stay. Career earnings for the guard sits at almost $234 million, and that will almost double by the time the extension is done. People will do what they want with these facts, but there’s cases to be made for both sides in using them.

About those opinions, as is the case with just about anything these days, those are going in a variety of directions. On the Lillard side, they would say it’s about time he demanded a trade, and Portland owes it to him to send him where he wants to go. On the Trail Blazers end, the consensus is they need to do the best deal to benefit the team, not the player, and they have paid Lillard more than enough to reward the loyalty. The reality is Portland should do a deal that’s going to help them going forward, and if Lillard is going to demand leaving after signing deals, they don’t have any obligation to make him happy with where they trade him to. Lillard is also within his rights to demand going elsewhere, and with the NBA being one of the more player-driven leagues, it’s logical to think he’ll ultimately get what he wants. If winning is what Lillard is about, it’s no secret that wasn’t going to happen at a high level in Portland, and instead of getting to free agency, he chose to extend and stay. This isn’t an attempt to criticize him for his loyalty, it’s simply pointing out what a lot of people already figured, and if Lillard is going to have that much money paid to him, it’s hard to get players to build around him. Therefore, if he supposed to be that player many believe he is, Lillard should be able to elevate the Trail Blazers (or any team he’s on) to a championship level. We all know that hasn’t happened, and the trade request looks like an attempt to get out of a dire situation Lillard had a hand in creating, at least to some.

Now, the question is what happens from here. Most believe a trade to the Heat will be completed at some point, whether that becomes a three or four-team deal, or not. If and when that happens, one might wonder if this starts to change the way contracts are structured in the NBA. As it currently stands, the longest deals are four or five years, depending on a player deciding if he wants to stay with the team he previously played for. Are there more deals, particularly for star players, that are two-year deals with the option for the second season? Constantly, the masses are told it’s worth the investment to keep a star player as long as possible, but what’s the point if said player isn’t willing to stay for the duration of the deal, especially if things don’t go as planned? It’s a real question teams will seemingly have to ask themselves for the future. Every year is its own story, and there aren’t many teams that stay exactly the same from the year prior. Times have evolved, and teams might not have much choice but to adjust with them.

It should never be a question about being honest, but if we’re in the business of doing so, Lillard is far from the first to want out after signing a long-term deal with a franchise. He’s just the latest in a lengthy line that includes Kevin Durant and James Harden (among others). Players should be able to get what they feel their value is worth, and be at a place where they know they would be happy. If they’re going to pursue that, sacrifice will be required, and it could come in the form of not having a good team capable of winning big around them. When things go haywire, trying to catch the first thing going out the door can’t be the answer. It should be as simple as playing out the contract, then make the decision to stay or go. Of course, it wouldn’t be right if it wasn’t more complicated than that, and such is life in the NBA. We’ll see how the Lillard saga plays out, but don’t be surprised if the grass isn’t greener on the other side for the longtime Trail Blazer.