Spears: ‘Another Eastern Conference Team’ Emerges in Trade Rumors for Damian Lillard

Maybe thePortland Trail Blazerswon’t trade All-Star Damian Lillard to his preferred destination, the Miami Heat, after all — at least if the latest rumors hold merit.

In an appearance on NBA Today, ESPN’s Marc Spears said the latest he’s heard is the Blazers are discussing a potential Lillard trade with “several teams.” Spears also said “another Eastern Conference team” is emerging in trade rumors for Lillard, but Spears wouldn’t name this potential new suitor from the East just yet.

“The latest I’m hearing is that the Blazers have been talking to several teams — but I don’t even know if that’s the Blazers — but when you say several teams, that also suggests that they could be willing to send [Lillard] to somewhere that’s not the Miami Heat, which is certainly very curious. It’s one thing for a team to trade for a player that doesn’t want to be there, but to get a player that’s a Top 75 player, that is going to be professional, but will he really be a happy employee? Do you want to do that to Dame Lillard? That’s the biggest question. Who has the guts to do it as well? Would [theBoston Celtics] do it? I’m kind of hearing rumors about another Eastern Conference team that I’m not gonna throw out there just yet, but boy, if a team is able to just trade for Lillard without his blessing, that’s very, very risky, not only to that team, but also to the future relationship for a future Hall-of-Famer with the Blazers.”

Who is this mystery team? Spears, for the moment at least, is leaving us all in speculation, like a good old-fashioned game of Clue — anybody else have their money on thePhiladelphia 76ersin the study with the candlestick?

After several weeks of relative quiet on the Lillard trade rumor beat, things are starting to heat up as the days march closer to training camp and the regular season.