NBA rumors: Giannis won’t extend with Bucks, Dillon Brooks’ delusions, Lillard silent on Blazers

NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard refuses to speak about the Blazers

Speaking of superstars pivoting away from their small-market team in the face of a rebuild... Damian Lillard's trade request from the Portland Trail Blazers is an ongoing affair, with the Blazers still content to ride out an uncomfortable summer if the right offer isn't made. Joe Cronin and Portland's front office have been in contact with the Miami Heat -- Dame's preferred destination -- but the Heat's offer doesn't move them.

In a recent sitdown with Marc Spears of ESPN, Lillard was asked about the future of the Blazers organization. He refused to comment: "I'm not going to speak on the Blazers." He was then asked about the trade request, which he confirmed before bluntly restating that he would not talk about the Blazers.

This is pretty cut and dry. Lillard won't back down from the trade request, which could mean training camp and the regular season get awkward if the Blazers don't act fast. The team has every intention of extracting maximum value out of Lillard, but it's fair to wonder who will top Miami's current offer given Lillard's massive contract (over $200 million and four years left) and his Heat-only desires.

Lillard can still help any team win, and win at a high level. The Blazers have failed him on numerous occasions, to the point where it's difficult to fault him for asking out. If anything, he deserves criticism for peddling his own loyalty to the media all these years, only to turn and run when the team drafted his presumed successor in Scoot Henderson.

We still have a month until camp and even longer until the season starts. Portland has plenty of time to settle on a trade, and one has to imagine more teams will at least make a half-hearted effort to get involved before the saga ends. The NBA has made it clear Lillard can no longer publicly request "only Miami," so the door is open for a surprise team to sneak in.