NBA Puts Its Foot Down with Dame

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/1685045585811058688?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Full NBA memo sent to all 30 teams regarding rhetoric on trade request made by Damian Lillard and his agent Aaron Goodwin.
 
“Recent media reports stated that Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, called multiple NBA teams to warn them against trading for Lillard because Lillard’s only desired trade destination is Miami.  Goodwin also made public comments indicating that Lillard would not fully perform the services called for under his player contract if traded to another team. 

 

We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and also spoke with several NBA teams to whom Goodwin spoke.  Goodwin denied stating or indicating to any team that Lillard would refuse to play for them.  Goodwin and Lillard affirmed to us that Lillard would fully perform the services called for under his player contract in any trade scenario.  The relevant teams provided descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that were mostly, though not entirely, consistent with Goodwin’s statements to us. 

 

We have advised Goodwin and Lillard that any future comments, made privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade will subject Lillard to discipline by the NBA.  We also have advised the Players Association that any similar comments by players or their agents will be subject to discipline going forward.”

Finally! Glad Silver finally put his foot down with this non-sense. Would’ve set a terrible precedent, and Dame/his agent are clearly in the wrong here trying to have their cake and eat it too, all while screwing Portland’s return.

I wonder if you’ll see any of the other suitors now get back in the game. Brooklyn has to be a serious suitor for him.

[G-Bones]

Excellent news.  If Dame wanted to go to Miami, then he should have gone BEFORE he got the big contract.  He wants to have his cake and eat it too. 
These prima donnas are too much.  Can’t stand much more of their acting like spoiled children.

[Who]

Excellent news.  If Dam wanted to go to Miami, then he should have gone BEFORE he got the big contract.  He wants to have his cake and eat it too. 
These prima donnas are too much.  Can’t stand much more of their acting like spoiled children.

I was reading some pro-Dame Blazers fans who were saying Dame was told it would be a 2yr rebuilding process (that they were in the middle of), that they would trade their picks / prospects for vets and that Portland would be back in the mix in West in 2023-24.

I don't know how true that is but they say that is what Dame was told when he signed the contract extension and that Portland failed to live up to their end.

[Who]

I wonder if you’ll see any of the other suitors now get back in the game. Brooklyn has to be a serious suitor for him.

It will be interesting to see if new suitors emerge now or ... if Dame's trade value really is this low because he is old (33yo), small (6-2) and due a massive amount of money over the next few years ($50-60mil a year for 4yrs).

[ozgod]

So they should. His agent is throwing his weight around. He has a fungible contract that he signed last year, he doesn’t get to dictate where he goes. If you want a 5 year $200m contract, well that comes with responsibilities. If he is traded elsewhere and refuses to play, or stays in Portland and refuses to play, they should fine him like Philly did with Ben Simmons. I know organizations get criticized for treating players like chattel trading them back and forth, but it’s hard to say someone is getting screwed by an organization that gave him a $200m contract. The NBAPA can't do anything because it would be clear Dame and Aaron Goodwin would be in violation of this clause of the CBA on page 123:

Section 18. Trades.
Any player (or, for clarity, any player representative or person acting with authority on behalf of a player) who publicly expresses a desire to be traded to another Team shall be subject to a fine and/or a suspension.  The maximum fine that may be imposed by the NBA on a player pursuant to the foregoing shall be $150,000.

https://nbpa.com/cba

But I think ultimately Dame is a professional and will play wherever he is traded, unhappy or no…I don’t think he will tank his reputation any more than he already has with this situation. This is just him and his agent playing hardball since they have no other hand to play and the NBA is responding as it should.

[cman88]

best part of this news is i think its highly unlikely he is in Miami next year.

[CelticsWhat35]

best part of this news is i think its highly unlikely he is in Miami next year.

I’m sure he’s still going to Miami.  This is just the NBA’s way to save face and make it seem like everything was above board

[tonydelk]

Excellent news.  If Dam wanted to go to Miami, then he should have gone BEFORE he got the big contract.  He wants to have his cake and eat it too. 
These prima donnas are too much.  Can’t stand much more of their acting like spoiled children.

I was reading some pro-Dame Blazers fans who were saying Dame was told it would be a 2yr rebuilding process (that they were in the middle of), that they would trade their picks / prospects for vets and that Portland would be back in the mix in West in 2023-24.

I don't know how true that is but they say that is what Dame was told when he signed the contract extension and that Portland failed to live up to their end.

I really have no problem with a player asking for a trade in private.  Whether the team trades that player is up to the team.  What I can't stand is when a player forces the team to trade them to team A only.  I'm glad the NBA did this.  These guys get paid a lot of money.  If you want to change teams then do it during FA.  Don't quit on your team either.  You are still getting paid no matter what.  Good for the NBA on this one.

[Vermont Green]

Excellent news.  If Dam wanted to go to Miami, then he should have gone BEFORE he got the big contract.  He wants to have his cake and eat it too. 
These prima donnas are too much.  Can’t stand much more of their acting like spoiled children.

I was reading some pro-Dame Blazers fans who were saying Dame was told it would be a 2yr rebuilding process (that they were in the middle of), that they would trade their picks / prospects for vets and that Portland would be back in the mix in West in 2023-24.

I don't know how true that is but they say that is what Dame was told when he signed the contract extension and that Portland failed to live up to their end.

I really have no problem with a player asking for a trade in private.  Whether the team trades that player is up to the team.  What I can't stand is when a player forces the team to trade them to team A only.  I'm glad the NBA did this.  These guys get paid a lot of money.  If you want to change teams then do it during FA.  Don't quit on your team either.  You are still getting paid no matter what.  Good for the NBA on this one.

Exactly. Saying you want to be traded is one thing. Saying trade me to Miami is different. 

[Surferdad]

best part of this news is i think its highly unlikely he is in Miami next year.

I’m sure he’s still going to Miami. This is just the NBA’s way to save face and make it seem like everything was above board

Not concerned at all. Even if they manage to keep Bam, I still think the C's are more talented at the top end and certainly more talent on the bench which Miami must trade away.

[bdm860]

Section 18. Trades.
Any player (or, for clarity, any player representative or person acting with authority on behalf of a player) who publicly expresses a desire to be traded to another Team shall be subject to a fine and/or a suspension.  The maximum fine that may be imposed by the NBA on a player pursuant to the foregoing shall be $150,000.

https://nbpa.com/cba

Is this it though, with Silver enforcing this existing penalty, or would he be enacting a new one?

$150k fine (and how long of a suspension?) to get to the team you want to go to seems like a small price to pay and not really a hindrance to players making big bucks.  Players lose more waiving their trade kickers or taking a buyout than this fine would cost them.

Any penalty really needs to have some teeth.

We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and also spoke with several NBA teams to whom Goodwin spoke.  Goodwin denied stating or indicating to any team that Lillard would refuse to play for them.  Goodwin and Lillard affirmed to us that Lillard would fully perform the services called for under his player contract in any trade scenario.  The relevant teams provided descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that were mostly, though not entirely, consistent with Goodwin’s statements to us.

Also wonder about this part.  Could this be a corporate version of "no snitching"?  Teams could hurt themselves long term by snitching on an agent, so they report no wrong doing.  Also these guys are all pros, everybody knows how to skirt the rules and knows how to not leave a paper trail of incriminating evidence.  Like Goodwin knows not to explicitly put it in writing, but he also knows how to heavily imply it without saying it, so the team can also report with a clear conscious that Goodwin/Lillard didn't (explicitly) demand something (even if everyone knows the implication).  Let's not forget the mockery of all the free agent deals announced a minute after free agency starts.

[cman88]

I think the fact that dame just signed a supermax with Portland and has 4 more years on his deal is a big part of silver getting involved as well.

It sets a bad precedent. The whole purpose of the supermax is to incentivize teams to keep their drafted players, especially small market teams.

So now you have a guy who signs his supermax, then demands out 1 year later. And not only does he demand out it's to 1 team with nothing of value to offer.

It's bad for the NBA. Amico said he heard NBA would probably veto a trade. Like the cp3 to Lakers trade.

[hpantazo]

I think the fact that dame just signed a supermax with Portland and has 4 more years on his deal is a big part of silver getting involved as well.

It sets a bad precedent. The whole purpose of the supermax is to incentivize teams to keep their drafted players, especially small market teams.

So now you have a guy who signs his supermax, then demands out 1 year later. And not only does he demand out it's to 1 team with nothing of value to offer.

It's bad for the NBA. Amico said he heard NBA would probably veto a trade. Like the cp3 to Lakers trade.

As they should. It really would be a terrible precedent if they allow a player who signed the supermax to demand a trade the next year to a single team. I'm really glad the NBA is stepping in and putting their foot down.

[jpotter33]

I think the fact that dame just signed a supermax with Portland and has 4 more years on his deal is a big part of silver getting involved as well.

It sets a bad precedent. The whole purpose of the supermax is to incentivize teams to keep their drafted players, especially small market teams.

So now you have a guy who signs his supermax, then demands out 1 year later. And not only does he demand out it's to 1 team with nothing of value to offer.

It's bad for the NBA. Amico said he heard NBA would probably veto a trade. Like the cp3 to Lakers trade.

As they should. It really would be a terrible precedent if they allow a player who signed the supermax to demand a trade the next year to a single team. I'm really glad the NBA is stepping in and putting their foot down.

Yeah, not sure they’ll actually do that, but we’ll see. The message itself already states that the agent didn’t tell the league the whole truth, and if the market has already been irreparably damaged, I could potentially see it happening.

Actually, I could see them putting like a year long embargo on any trade to Miami because of this. At the very least I think this makes it much more likely that Portland holds onto him into the season to increase the market range.

Just such a bad look for the entire league. Goes against the very purpose of these long contracts, and Dame’s reputation definitely has been degraded by this saga.

It is hilarious how Heat fans are all up in arms about this saying there’s some conspiracy against them lol

[SparzWizard]

NBA should've done  this with AD3 to Lakers back then.