5 biggest NBA offseason questions that still need to be answered

5. Damian Lillard requested a trade one month ago, yet he’s still a Trail Blazer. Why is that?

There’s a simple answer here: Lillard signed a four-year super-max contract extension worth nearly $177 million that takes him through the 2026-27 season.

Lillard is also 33 years old and would be 37 when this contract ends.

That’s a lot of money to pay a small guard into his late 30s, who is dependent on his overall quickness, burst, and athleticism.

Even while Lillard’s superstar status is undeniable currently and he will likely be a superstar for the following season, any interested parties need to factor in the future downside of this contract as they consider trading for him and what they would potentially give up.

The main team that has been interested in Lillard is the Miami Heat, and it’s been made clear by their front office that they are currently not interested in trading nearly all the assets they have for Lillard. On the flip side, Lillard and his agent all but threatened the entire league that the Heat are the only team Lillard would happily play for.

The Heat held firm on a lowball offer believing they had all the leverage, Lillard refused to expand his list of potential teams, and then the Blazers perhaps surprisingly made it clear they were happy to wait this out too.

In turn, the most recent move in this theatric trade demand was the NBA sending a league-wide memo essentially stating that Lillard would of course play for any team that trades for him. Lillard’s team also denied any wrongdoing as well.

This Lillard trade will happen eventually. Before training camp? Probably, but not definitely.

To the Heat? Also probably, but not definitely.

Until this trade happens though, even more questions will remain unanswered. One of them has to do with another star guard in his 30s.