NBA Legend Gives Honest Opinion on James Harden, Damian Lillard Trade Demands
Speaking exclusively with AllClippers at the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala, NBA legend Jamaal Wilkes shared his honest opinion on the player empowerment movement amidst the trade requests of James Harden and Damian Lillard this summer.
"Well, I mean, back then you might have thought about it, but you certainly wouldn't have forced the issue. Now they're forcing issue, and I don't think it's healthy for the game," Wilkes said when asked about the Harden and Lillard trade requests. "I'll be interested to see going forward if somehow, some way the league [addresses] it. It's just too big of a distraction. Teams are drastically impacted, like 'I want to be traded' and then the next week he's gone."
When asked if this shift is something he'd utilize if he played in today's NBA, Wilkes said, "In my day we always did things quietly, and I think I would still prefer to do that today. Given that everyone is making outrageous demands, I'd look like a good guy."
This seems to be the commonly held opinion of those who played before this surge in trade demands amongst NBA stars, as former players recognize the difficult position it puts the NBA in. While there are of course two sides to this conversation, especially with James Harden and his attempt to get to the LA Clippers after promises were broken by the Philadelphia 76ers, there is no question that the NBA finds themselves in a tough spot amidst these trade demands.
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