27 September 2023 , 19:40
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Damian Lillard has promised to post a lengthy statement to Portland Trail Blazers fans following his blockbuster trade to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The former Portland All-Star guard wrote, "The casuals won't be addressed, but the Trail Blazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be, and they will be addressed truthfully. Stay tuned. Excited for my next chapter! @Bucks"
The Trail Blazers traded Lillard to the Bucks in a 3-team deal with the Phoenix Suns. Portland received Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee's 2029 unprotected 1st-round draft pick, and unprotected Milwaukee swap rights in 2028 and 2030.
The Suns acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson in the trade. When Lillard requested a trade in July, he wanted to join the Miami Heat, as conveyed by his agent, Aaron Goodwin, to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Lillard, who is 33 years old, performed notably during the NBA season last year, with an average of 32.2 points per game and a true shooting percentage of 64.5 per cent. He was considered one of the top pick-and-roll point guards in the league and is known for his deadly pull-up shooting skills. Many compare him to the All-NBA point guard of the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry.
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Last month, during an interview at his Formula Zero Elite Camp, Lillard declined to entertain any questions about the Trail Blazers organisation. However, he emphasised his enduring affection for the city of Portland and its fans. "I can say that there was [a trade request], and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers," said Lillard to Andscape. "I love the city of Portland."
"Every initiative that I've started, I'll continue, and I'll finish regardless of anything. The love will be that because the way I've said I feel about Portland is how I feel about Portland. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. It's been fine. It's been what it's always been. [Portland-area residents] just tell me they love me. That's literally what they say. 'Dame, we love you. We thank you for everything.' That's the dialogue. It's pretty simple and to the point."
Damian Lillard celebrates with his signature Dame Time celebration, which organically spawned in Portland (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)Lilliard also has the Damian Lillard Foundation, which operates in Oregon. While being known as one of the best Blazers of all time, his impact extends beyond scheduled NBA games in Portland.
The former Portland guard is deeply involved in various community outreach initiatives, focusing on the RESPECT program, which encourages the youth to work hard and stay in school. In his own words, Lillard will still serve the Portland community through his efforts.
After the trade, Blazers fans and social media users began to dig through previous tweets from the seven-time NBA All-Star meticulously. They found a quote tweet regarding the Bucks, with Lillard simply saying "no" regarding whether he would join the team after getting rid of former coach Mike Budenholzer. The post received over ten thousand retweets on socials, most pointing out the irony of the breaking transaction.