The NBA tries to do its best to supervise the transfer market and does not appreciate when a player tries to free himself from the rules of the game. Thus, when rumors from the corridors report comments from Damian Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, who would have brandished the threat to encourage his player to refuse to play 100% if the point guard of Portland were to be transferred elsewhere than in Miami, the league is doing its best to pull all that clear.
As it happens, the NBA summoned Damian Lillard, who asked to be traded three weeks ago, along with his agent, and then sent a long memo to his 30 franchises to recall the rules: namely that a player must fully perform the tasks for which he is employed by a franchise, whatever it is.
“Media recently reported that Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, called several NBA teams to warn them of a Lillard trade because Lillard’s only desired destination was Miami. Goodwin also made public comments indicating that Lillard would not provide full services under his player contract if he was traded to another team.
We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and also spoke with several NBA teams Goodwin had spoken to. Goodwin denied telling or indicating to a team that Lillard would refuse to play for her. Both Goodwin and Lillard told us that Lillard would provide full services under his player contract, regardless of the trade scenario. The affected teams provided descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that mostly, but not entirely, matched the statements Goodwin made to us.
We have advised Goodwin and Lillard that any future comments, made privately to teams or in public, suggesting that Lillard will not fully perform the services under his player contract in the event of a trade, will subject Lillard to disciplinary action by the part of the NBA. We have also informed the Players Association that any similar comments from players or their agents will be subject to disciplinary action in the future.”
This has the merit of being clear and will perhaps reshuffle the cards for a faster outcome.
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2012-13 | ORP | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2013-14 | ORP | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | ORP | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | ORP | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | ORP | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | ORP | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | ORP | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | ORP | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | ORP | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | ORP | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | ORP | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| Total | 769 | 36 | 43.9 | 37.2 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
