Zombie Damian Lillard to request trade in coming days (nope, he's not.) (3 Viewers)

[B-Roy]

Dame is the hot story right now. All these fools want to get in on the feeding frenzy. They know that Laker fans, Knick fans, and Sixer fans are all thirsting for Dame, and on the flip side they know Portland fans are on the lookout for rumors. So it's easy clicks to drop some vague rumor and watch people freak.

It's not Henry Abbott's style. He's not a clout chaser. And there's a lot of smoke with regards to Dame's trade requests. I don't know how much it would take for Dame to formally request a trade but it's not unlikely he hasn't at least discussed what it would be like if he asked for a trade with people close to him.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Yup here it comes. He could have easily just shut it down during that Chris Haynes piece.

 

[Mediocre Man]

From the horse's mouth, here you go:

https://sports.yahoo.com/damian-lil...f-we-want-to-win-on-that-level-160144638.html

This is probably the source Abbott has. Some good things will come out of a Dame trade request

1. Olshey should and will get fired
2. Hard to win with your pg being your best player unless he’s surrounded by other all stars.

 

[Labinot41]

So in 3 hours we know the future of the Trail Blazers?

 

[AldoTrapani]

Also funny that Haynes adds this:

(Lillard will address a report about his future with the team following Team USA practice on Friday.)

Yup that’s the bad part. You know it’s coming

 

[craigehlo]

I knew at the time the Blazers would take the wrong lesson away from the fool's gold 2019 WCF run. Placing too much stock on internal development and not being aggressive on the trade market.

 

[OneSport3]

At the same time, it clearly sounds like he believes there are people in the organization that are not putting the same amount of effort into winning a championship as him. Neil is for sure one. Wouldn't be surprised if CJ is another.

When is team USA's practice over? Gonna be a long day.

Looks like it will be around 12:30 when Dame will speak.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yup here it comes. He could have easily just shut it down during that Chris Haynes piece.

Haynes piece was yesterday

 

[blazerkor]

This is probably the source Abbott has. Some good things will come out of a Dame trade request

1. Olshey should and will get fired
2. Hard to win with your pg being your best player unless he’s surrounded by other all stars.

I don't think they'll fire Olshey because if Dame makes a trade demand now is the best time to trade him... so unless they've got a guy on the sideline they trust with the biggest move in franchise history, they'll stick with the guy who's been getting over on them for damn near a decade.

 

[B-Roy]

I find it highly unlikely Dame formally requests a trade at the team USA media availability, even if it is what he wants. That seems like a stretch considering last time he said he would just talk to Neil.

Likely it will be some ultimatum that puts public pressure on Neil to DO SOMETHING.

 

[The Professional Fan]

Dame is the hot story right now. All these fools want to get in on the feeding frenzy. They know that Laker fans, Knick fans, and Sixer fans are all thirsting for Dame, and on the flip side they know Portland fans are on the lookout for rumors. So it's easy clicks to drop some vague rumor and watch people freak.

Sure feels like it. Making all the more of a plausible scenario while Dame is surrounded by his Olympic teammates. If it doesn't come from Haynes, Sham or Woj I'm not believing it. Problem is, those Laker, Knick, Sixer fans you mention don't know that so off they go to thirst land.

 

[Haakzilla]

From the horse's mouth, here you go:

https://sports.yahoo.com/damian-lil...f-we-want-to-win-on-that-level-160144638.html

...kind of his one answer surly doesn't sound like he wants out. But just below that we have a notice to wait for this afternoon:

(Lillard will address a report about his future with the team following Team USA practice on Friday.)

 

[B-Roy]

Haynes piece was yesterday

It was literally 30 minutes ago.

 

[illmatic99]

I find it highly unlikely Dame formally requests a trade at the team USA media availability, even if it is what he wants. That seems like a stretch considering last time he said he would just talk to Neil.

Likely it will be some ultimatum that puts public pressure on Neil to DO SOMETHING.

yup, he's not gonna deny it altogether. but probably say he will cross that bridge later pending roster decisions.

 

[The Professional Fan]

Haynes piece was yesterday

Unless he re-posted it on Twitter, it was 27 minutes ago

 

[blazerkor]

I find it highly unlikely Dame formally requests a trade at the team USA media availability, even if it is what he wants. That seems like a stretch considering last time he said he would just talk to Neil.

Likely it will be some ultimatum that puts public pressure on Neil to DO SOMETHING.

Or he says, "If I've made any request, I've already made it to Neil." I could also see him talking some common sense like, "If I request a trade, I'm not making it public because I wouldn't do that to my team and lower the value they could get back for me."

 

[blazedanugz]

Yup that’s the bad part. You know it’s coming

If you really think dame is going to announce a trade request at a press conference then I don’t know what to tell you other than he is not going to do that. It would be classless…and dame is not classless

 

[illmatic99]

Haynes piece was yesterday

no it was from 9AM pacific today, after abbott's article came out three hours prior.

And this wasn't "Haynes piece." It was Dame calling Haynes to do some damage control.

 

[Natebishop3]

Playing devil's advocate, I don't think Abbott has a reputation as someone who spreads around fake news. Why are people writing him off so quickly? He has been around for a long time.

 

[B-Roy]

I hate this offseason.

 

[illmatic99]

Playing devil's advocate, I don't think Abbott has a reputation as someone who spreads around fake news. Why are people writing him off so quickly? He has been around for a long time.

i have the utmost respect for HA, but he spent half that article pouring over Dame's lyrics trying to read tea leaves.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[The Professional Fan]

no it was from 9AM pacific today, after abbott's article came out three hours prior.

And this wasn't "Haynes piece." It was Dame calling Haynes to do some damage control.

Or the piece was already written and scheduled to be released at a later time and Dame had him pull the trigger with the little note about speaking after practice today. Either way, it's clear Dame influenced the timing.

 

[illmatic99]

I hate this offseason.

ya fucking toxic man. i wanted to step away from the team for a break for a few months after that Denver debacle, but it's like one hit right after another.

my friends who are bandwagon laker fans have become insufferable adding to my misery.

 

[Natebishop3]

I hate this offseason.

It's because all of the things that Neil should have done over the past four years are now all coming due at the same time. He's the ultimate bag holder. He should have fired Stotts after the Pels series. He should have traded CJ when it became painfully obvious that the Dame/CJ pairing wouldn't work. He didn't do those things, so now things are blowing up in his face.

 

[Graduate32]

It was literally 30 minutes ago.

Yeah, that's when it was posted, but that's not when the interview was conducted. Important distinction. Haynes can't add words to Dame's mouth after the interview.

My guess is that he conducted the interview yesterday and he talked to Dame early this morning about the Abbott speculation, and Dame stated that he would address it after practice.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Sean Highkin between his BS Olshey reporting and that analysis above has lost me as a follower.

 

[B-Roy]

Also, easily read between the lines:

Regardless of whether a trade demand is officially made, Dame is not fully on-board unless he sees there are significant changes. "Show me you're committed first."

 

[Natebishop3]

Also, easily read between the lines:

Regardless of whether a trade demand is officially made, Dame is not fully on-board unless he sees there are significant changes. "Show me you're committed first."

Hopefully Neil isn't approaching Dame the same way he's approaching the drama about Billups. Ignore it and hope it goes away.

 

[craigehlo]

Bottom line is he's wrapped up in a supermax deal for 4 years. Got to treat this like Green Bay and Rodgers if he asks to be moved. There's no urgency to make a quick deal to remove the distraction if it comes to that. I'm not sure at what point the player leverage in the NBA go so out-of-wack.