Inside The Celtics

Celtics and Clippers Reportedly a 'Resounding No' for Damian Lillard

It's hard to believe Damian Lillard will become a bad teammate on or off the court if he's on a title contender that doesn't reside in Miami.

Bobby Krivitsky

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Damian Lillard has made it crystal clear he wants to get traded and only wants to go to the Miami Heat.

With that being his mindset, it doesn't matter what other destinations the Trail Blazers ask him about. The seven-time All-Star has to say no, especially when a team that can or has made a compelling offer to Portland comes along.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, in an appearance on the Pat McAfee show, that's what's happened as the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have shown a "level of interest" in acquiring Lillard, whose response has been a "resounding no."

The seven-time All-NBA guard would be foolish not to try to create as much leverage as possible in attempting to steer trade talks toward South Beach.

And the Trail Blazers must do what's best for the franchise, compelling general manager Joe Cronin to convey, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports, "We're going to be patient. We're going to do what's best for our team. We're going to see how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months."

Cronin also expressed, as noted by MacMahon, that a deal that everyone's happy about often requires a list of more than one preferred destination.

While Lillard could bring a faster and more fair resolution to this saga by expressing more openness to the idea of playing for someone besides the Heat, neither side's doing anything wrong in trying to produce their ideal outcome.

Still, Portland probably wants this done before training camp, and teams that don't reside in Miami should be willing to call Lillard's bluff. It would be shocking if he becomes a bad teammate on or off the court, especially if he's on a title contender.

Further Reading

The Latest Intel on Celtics' Negotiations with Jaylen Brown

Sam Cassell Discusses What Brought Him Back to Boston and What He'll Bring to the Celtics

Despite a 'Big Knot' Above His Knee, Jordan Walsh Says He'll Continue Playing at Summer League

Celtics Reportedly Attend Former All-Star Point Guard's Private Workout

Oshae Brissett on Joining Celtics: 'I Just Want to Go Win'

3 Up, 3 Down from Celtics' Summer League Opener vs. Heat

Marcus Smart Reflects on His Time with Celtics: 'I Left Everything I Had'

Evaluating Celtics' Options in Free Agency

Celtics Reportedly Not Pursuing Damian Lillard

Celtics Losing Grant Williams in Sign-and-Trade Demonstrates Intention of NBA's New CBA

Brad Stevens Discusses Difficult Decision to Trade Marcus Smart: 'He'll Always Have Boston'

Celtics Reportedly Interested in Signing Terence Davis

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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