Source: Lillard asks Trail Blazers for trade

Damian Lillard has asked the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade, a move that will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with that team, a person familiar with the matter said Saturday.

Lillard will generate interest from the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, among others, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details were announced publicly.

Lillard is coming off a season in which he averaged 32.2 points for the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time AllNBA selection and was selected to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team – but has never been close to a title in his 11 seasons in the league.

He has met with Portland multiple times in recent weeks, asking for the roster to be upgraded to the point where he can compete for a championship. But those efforts, evidently, have not gone to Lillard’s liking and led to him asking to be moved elsewhere.

Strus agrees to $63M deal and heads to Cleveland

Max Strus helped Miami get to the NBA Finals, and his stock soared in the process.

Strus is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, agreeing to a $63 million, fouryear deal that was finalized Saturday by making the transaction part of a threeteam trade, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.

Strus goes to the Cavaliers, who will send Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens to San Antonio while Miami gets future second-round draft compensation, said the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade terms have not been approved by the NBA.

ESPN first reported the trade agreement.

Strus was a starter for Miami in its playoff runs over the last two years, including this past season’s trip to the finals against Denver. He averaged a career-best 11.5 points per game this past season and has shot 37% from 3-point range in his career.

Many players stayed put: Jerami Grant ($160 million, five years) remains in Portland, Kyrie Irving ($126 million, three years) remains in Dallas, Cam Johnson ($108 million, four years) stays in Brooklyn, Khris Middleton ($102 million, three years) stays in Milwaukee, Kyle Kuzma ($102 million, four years) remains in Washington and Draymond Green ($100 million, four years) remains with Golden State.

And two players eligible for rookiescale extensions also cashed in early Saturday on deals that will take effect in 2024-25 – Desmond Bane in Memphis and Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana got contracts that will be worth an estimated $207 million apiece over five years, with Haliburton potentially able to reach $260 million if he makes an AllNBA team.

— Wire reports