Damian Lillard requests trade out of Portland; Miami preferred destination

It has been expected — highly anticipated in some corners — but it is still the sad end of an era in the Pacific Northwest.

Damian Lillard has reportedly requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. His preferred destinations are Miami or Brooklyn. Chris Haynes of TNT/Bleacher Report — who has close ties with Lillard — was first with the story.

Haynes went on to say Miami and Brooklyn are his preferred destinations , but since then multiple other reports have gone on to say Miami alone is where Lillard wants to land.

This is the end of an era in Portland, where Lillard should go down as the greatest Trail Blazer ever (with apologies to Clyde Drexler). Lillard played 11 seasons there and averaged 25.2 points and 6.7 assists a game, he was a seven-time All-Star and a seven-time All-NBA player who was part of the NBA’s 75 best players at the NBA’s 75th Anniversary .

Looking at the Heat's actions so far in free agency — letting both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus leave without making winning bids to keep them — suggested they knew what was coming and were preparing to put Lillard next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on a team that just went to the NBA Finals.

Miami's offer can be Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and two or three first-round picks. The Heat can adjust that with Tyler Herro in Lowry's spot (although the Heat would prefer to keep Herro and his shot creation), plus Caleb Martin and other young players with promise such as Nikola Jovic or the just-drafted Jaime Jaquez Jr. out of UCLA added to the mix. A more likely option is to bring in a third team to help get Portland more young assets in a deal.

Brooklyn could make this an interesting decision for Portland — they have a wealth of picks via the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades and can send out up to six first-rounders (the trade would have Ben Simmons and his massive salary as a base plus some young players as well).

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says the Clippers and 76ers want to get in the mix as well, but there is a strong relationship between Lillard and the Trail Blazers — a genuine affinity for each other — and Portland is not going to consider destinations Lillard does not want.