Damian Lillard Reportedly Pre-Approved Bucks, Nets Destinations

Damian Lillard reportedly approved a trade to theMilwaukee BucksorBrooklyn Netsten days ago, after thePortland Trail Blazers’ negotiations with the Miami Heat remained at a standstill for most of the summer. Lillard had originally, and semi-publicly, stated that the Heat were his only preferred destination after requesting a trade on the first of July. Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin—earliercensured by the NBAfor allegedly stalling talks of alternate trade destinations—supposedly let the Bucks and Nets know that the star point guard would be interested in playing for them.

The news comes viaa tweet by Marc J. Spearsof andscape:

Sources to @andscape: With Miami talks going nowhere, agent Aaron Goodwin privately told the Bucks and Nets 10 days ago that Dame would be interested in a deal there. The Raptors were a real contender to land the ex-Blazers star, but ultimately Bucks got it done per Woj report.

As the summer wound on and no trade materialized, Lillard received increasing criticism from fans and media for limiting his trade preference list to a single team. This report may ease some of those concerns, or it may be anex post factoattempt to put that issue to bed.

The deal went through earlier today, sending Lillard to the Bucks—plus center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little, and guard Keon Johnson to thePhoenix Suns—for point guard Jrue Holiday, center Deandre Ayton, forward Toumani Camara, and future draft picks.