27 September 2023 , 21:50
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Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has accused the Milwaukee Bucks of "tampering" shortly after news of a three-team trade involving Damian Lillard broke.
The Bucks agreed a three-team trade in order to get seven-time NBA All-Star Lillard out of the Portland Trail Blazers, with Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton also involved in the mega-deal.
The Bucks will send Holiday and future draft assets to Portland while shipping Grayson Allen to the Phoenix Suns. The Trail Blazers will get Ayton and Toumani Camara and the Suns have picked up Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson.
However, Heat star Butler is far from impressed with Lillard's trade to Milwaukee. "Yo NBA man, y'all need to look into the Bucks for tampering," he said. "Y'all didn't hear it from me, but I heard it from somebody."
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Not long afterwards, Miami teammate Tyler Herro reposted Butler's message with the quote "What he said."
Butler's motivations for the accusation are unknown. It was, however, previously reported that Lillard was trying to force a move from Portland to Miami, which is what could have caused this year's NBA finalist's upset.
Lillard is in a more optimistic mood about his move, though. "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," Lillard tweeted. "Excited for my next chapter!"
Defending Eastern Conference champions Miami, missed out on a franchise-fourth NBA championship to the dominant Denver Nuggets. Portland will be pleased with what they've got out of the Lillard trade, which also includes a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and unprotected swap rights in 2028 and 2030.
Damian Lillard was involved in a three-team trade between Milwaukee, Portland, and Phoenix (Getty)Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin put his foot down on Lillard's plea to join Miami earlier in the summer. "We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us ... he wants out and he'd prefer to play someplace else," Cronin said following Lillard's initial trade request. "What has not changed for us is that we're committed to winning, and we are going to do what's best for the team in pursuit of that goal."
Heat missing out on Lillard could see Miami turn their attention towards James Harden, who like Damian, is without an NBA championship.
Harden asked for a trade earlier this summer and the LA Clippers were believed to be his preferred destination. A move to Miami and the reigning Eastern Conference champions could, however, be an enticing proposition to the ten-time All-Star and one-time league MVP.
Harden is wrapped up in a feud with his current team, the Philadelphia 76ers, which saw him blast GM Daryl Morey as a "liar".