'Monster 3': Damian Lillard talks Phoenix Suns, preparing for season amid trade request

Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard definitely will keep his eyes on the Phoenix Suns this season with their prolific scoring trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and new addition Bradley Beal.

"That's definitely a Big 3," said Lillard Friday at his Formula Zero elite basketball camp at The PHHacility in Phoenix. "Brad Beal, Book, KD. I mean, that's a monster three. I think it will be fun to watch. They'll win a lot of games and the goal is to win. As players of their level, it just has to click. They've got to connect. It wouldn't surprise me if they did click, but that's the most important thing is being able to click out there and to be able to work together towards winning."

The Suns open the 2023-24 season on Oct. 24 at Golden State on the NBA's opening night

"It'll be fun to watch," continued Lillard, who was teammates with Booker and Durant on the Team USA squad that won Olympic gold in 2021 in Tokyo. "For me, as a fan of basketball and the NBA, and for fans out there, I'm sure it's extremely exciting for them."

Entering his 12th season, Lillard requested a trade in the offseason after spending his entire career with the Blazers. Lillard has targeted the Miami Heat, but training camp is two months away from starting.

"Mentally, I'm strong," Lillard said. "I think the last year and some change in my life overall, it's not even just sports, it's been a tough time, but right now, I'm in a strong place. Anytime I can come be in this environment. Like I said, it's a lot of my loved ones that are here doing what we do at this camp, pouring into people, that brings me joy. That's something that lifts me up so to be here is helpful."

Lillard, who turned 33 years old last month, also talked about traveling and spending "a lot of time" with his children and family, but is pleased with where he is as far as his offseason workouts.

"I've had a great summer of training," Lillard said. "I do a lot of things now to pour into myself and lift myself up and it's been really helpful. So I would say I'm in a very strong place. My process has been the same going into the season that it's been any other time except I'm just getting better as a man. I think that really helps me as far as my career goes. Anytime I can be improving myself as a man, it's going to be positive for me."

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Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points a game last season, but the Blazers went 33-49. He's dealt with injuries the last couple of seasons as well, but has things in perspective moving forward.

"Dealing with life is much harder than dealing with a professional sport," Lillard said. "I definitely think in life in general, since I was a kid, I've been equipped with whatever comes and it's no different now."

The Blazers open the 2023-24 season on Oct. 25 at the Los Angeles Clippers. Blazers rookie Kris Murray was at the camp working with the kids Friday.

The Suns and Blazers play each other twice in the preseason Oct. 12 in Portland and Oct. 16 in Phoenix. Their first regular-season matchup is on Nov. 21 at Footprint Center.

Lillard has been in Phoenix running his Formula Zero camp along with Phil Beckner, his longtime basketball skills coach. The camp features 20 top high school players and 20 college players who are serving as counselors.

Phoenix Prep's Jeremiah Johnson and Perry High's Koa Peat competed in the camp.

"It's a way for me to give back to the game," said Lillard, who is from Oakland. "Knowing I've crossed paths with a lot of right people. A lot of my father figures as far as growing up, some of my teammates, who have gone on to become coaches, coaches I've met in the NBA, trainers, high school, every level, I fell like I've been fortunate and blessed to meet the right kind of people to help my growth as a young man, but also as a player."

Lillard's former teammates, Evan Turner and Chris Kaman, as well as former Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, were working with the kids Friday. Tibbetts is an assistant with the Orlando Magic.

"Those are the people that are here helping run this camp and helping try to push these younger players along in their development," Lillard continued. Those people are who the formula is. I'm a product of the formula. So it's always a great time to be able to catch up and spend time with those people, but to be able to share a lot of the things that I've been given and blessed with from those people with a lot of young athletes now 'cause I know how much of a difference it makes. It's what brings me the most joy."

Formula Zero is a camp that places a high emphasis on character, hard work and accountability, qualities Lillard has lived by. The camp also has mentorship and leadership components.

"Being able to share those things and know that it makes a difference, especially being a 11-year, going on 12-year vet, I've been around long enough to see what's missing in the game," Lillard said. "I see what I can give back to the game because of that. I don't think it's the talent. I think the talent the game is at a level that it's never been at right now, but as you see right here, character, hard work and accountability is kind of what's holding our game back a little bit. As somebody who truly represents that, I'm always excited to have this camp to encourage a lot of these athletes to embrace that part of things so that we can give our game a little bit more strength than it has in those areas."

Beckner, who Lillard said coached him hard early in their relationship, spoke proudly of the one of the best players in the game's history. Lillard was named to the NBA's 75th anniversary team.

"It's unbelievable," Beckner said. "They make fun of me all the time, but two days ago, we brought in 15 NBA players to train with (the high school players) because we had so many people who saw this camp last year and how impactful it was, they wanted to be part of it."

Beckner said Blazers guard Anfernee Simons and forward Nassir Little showed up along with Jazz guard Collin Sexton and forward Ochai Agbaji and Nets forward Darius Bazley, who ended last season with the Suns.

"So we did a separate camp and as we started that morning, I was talking to the players and started talking about Damian and it literally brings me to tears," Beckner continued. "Just emotional because for someone to be as good as he is for as long as he's been that good and to say, hey, it's not just about me. I want to impact others. It's an unbelievable thing you want to really be proud of."

The camp is scheduled to end Saturday. It's open to NBA scouts and personnel as Suns assistant general manager Morgan Cato was in attendance Friday.

Full schedule: Suns 2023-24 regular season schedule features 25 nationally televised games

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Damian Lillard talks Suns, preparing for season at Formula Zero camp