Damian Lillard trade rumors: Pelicans emerge as strong contenders amid Heat-Trail Blazers saga

Damian Lillard is still with the Portland Trail Blazers despite his request to be traded to the Miami Heat after 11 seasons. The Blazers have been picky about their demands for their star point guard, which has so far prevented them from trading Lillard away.

Dame is still one of the top-scoring point guards in the NBA. With his talent, there's no denying the fact that the seven-time All-Star will be a hot commodity in the trade market.

John Hollinger, once a vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, believes that the New Orleans Pelicans can outbid other teams and acquire Lillard.

"It would be ironic to trade McCollum and Nance back to Portland since that’s almost certainly what this would entail to create a salary match.

"There is a case to be made for kicking the tires on this, even though it’s not Lillard’s first choice. He’s signed for four more years, so his leverage is fairly limited. And the Pels can create a winning package with their future picks and young players; there is no question they can outbid the rest of the market," Hollinger wrote.

If that were the case, the Blazers wouldn't be giving in to Lillard's trade request. It's been made known that the seven-time All-Star only wants to play for the Miami Heat. It remains to be seen whether the Blazers honor that request.

You might also be interested in reading this: “Dame was so loyal” - Ramona Shelburne suggests Damian Lillard might expand his trade destinations list

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Damian Lillard stands firm on his request to be traded to Miami

Portland Trail Blazers v Miami Heat

Due to the Heat becoming a championship contender since Jimmy Butler's arrival, Damian Lillard's request makes sense. Over the past few years, the Blazers have struggled to build a championship squad around the star point guard. Because of this, the seven-time All-NBA appears to have lost hope in Portland.

The Blazers are in a tricky situation. They could trade their franchise star directly to Miami and get almost nothing in return, as the Heat have nothing to offer. Or they could put themselves first and trade him to a different team that has a ton of assets they can use.