“At this point, it’s do right by themselves” - Gilbert Arenas believes Damian Lillard’s high trade value is a big problem for the Blazers
The 2023 NBA offseason hasn’t been as explosive as last summer, but that could change in the blink of an eye if Damian Lillard’s trade request off of the Portland Trail Blazers gets granted. Lillard made it known he wanted out of Portland months ago, but there hasn’t been any sort of movement regarding a deal being made during that time, which is obviously due to Lillard’s extremely high trade value. And if you ask Gilbert Arenas, that’s why Lillard will not end up getting traded.
Lillard’s trade value is too high for him to get moved
While Lillard is 33 years old now, his trade value has likely never been higher thanks to his dominant 2022-23 campaign (32.2 PPG, 7.3 APG, 4.8 APG, 46.3 FG%, 37.1 3P%). The only team that has really shown any tangible interest in Lillard (partly due to his desire to play for them) is the Miami Heat. The Heat have the pieces to put together a package that could net them Lillard, but Arenas thinks the Trail Blazers’ price is preventing such a deal from coming together, and he doesn’t see that changing anytime soon.
“At this point, it’s do right by themselves. He wants out, cool, I just need to match what he’s worth to us. He’s a Hall of Famer, top 75, I need something back, I need some pieces back that’s gonna match what he brings…pieces, picks, I need something.” - Gilbert Arenas said on Gil’s Arena
Should the Blazers trade Lillard for lower than their asking price?
Given his loyalty to Portland throughout the first 11 years of his career, some fans have wondered whether or not the Trail Blazers would give in and deal Lillard to wherever he wanted to land. But the front office has made it clear that isn’t going to happen, and Arenas commends them for doing that. The NBA is a business; you simply can’t give players away for anything because they want to go elsewhere. But at the same time, that could prevent a deal from ever coming to fruition.
The debate over whether the Trail Blazers should just give in and move Lillard remains one that many fans are arguing over, but it seems like their front office has made it clear what their stance is. And while some folks believe Lillard deserves to get what he wants, Portland also deserves to get what they believe is a fair return for their superstar guard. That’s how we’ve got to the crossroads we find ourselves at in this trade saga, and it doesn’t seem like there will be a resolution anytime soon.
