NBA World Reacts to Damian Lillard’s Trade Request Out of Portland

The Trail Blazers star will be playing elsewhere next season, and NBA fans are ecstatic.

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard formally requested a trade away from Portland on Saturday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

The soon-to-be 33-year-old Lillard has spent his entire career in Portland, who drafted him with the sixth pick in 2012.

In 58 games for the Trail Blazers last season, Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game on 46.3% shooting from the floor. The seven-time All-NBA selection made it clear to Portland’s front office that he wanted to win with the Trail Blazers, but was not interested in a rebuild. After the Trail Blazers failed to acquire a star to pair alongside Lillard and drafted Scoop Henderson with the No. 3 pick in the draft last week, it was clear that something was going to give between Portland and its franchise player.

Now Lillard is destined to move on, with Charania reporting that the Heat are the desired destination for the point guard, updating the situation after initially mentioning the Nets as another main contender. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted that the 76ers and Clippers are also interested in putting together trade packages to acquire Lillard. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne also mentioned the Spurs as a potential wild card.

With the future Hall of Famer finally requesting a trade, NBA Twitter went crazy on Saturday. Here are some of the best reactions from the trade request of Lillard.

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Nets and Heat will be in the Lillard mix but if I'm Portland, I want to horn in on any Sixers-Clippers talks involving James Harden.

Harden to the Clippers, Lillard the Sixers and both teams dump draft picks and matching salaries in the Blazers lap. https://t.co/EqgUr6q3pq

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 1, 2023

Miami is a preferred trade destination for Dame, per @VinceGoodwill.

"Miami" was playing in the background of his IG Live last Friday 👀🌴

(via @Dame_Lillard) pic.twitter.com/IJVzAsmuTR

— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) July 1, 2023

Damian Lillard finally leaving “The Grind” like https://t.co/uDsowfF4KA

— RingerNBA (@ringernba) July 1, 2023

Like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey, Damian Lillard wants to live and work in South Florida ☀️ https://t.co/EgNO667szE

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) July 1, 2023

“Dame has earned a bigger stage.”@ColinCowherd reacts to Damian Lillard reportedly requesting a trade out of Portland pic.twitter.com/vqrBEsh8x2

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) July 1, 2023

Jerami Grant: Now that I’m locked up, we can run this back!!
Damian Lillard: pic.twitter.com/7IOQM0ndMR

— ry (@NinjaBands) July 1, 2023

Jerami Grant 🤝 Shabazz Napier

— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) July 1, 2023