Everyone in the NBA was caught off guard when Damian Lillard finally requested a trade from the Blazers.
The writing was on the wall when the Blazers didn’t trade the third overall pick, which became Scoot Henderson, and both parties are now trying to find a resolution that would benefit them in the long haul.
On the other hand, the Kings, Lakers, and Warriors managed to retain their key players by signing them to extensions.
And speaking of extensions, LaMelo Ball, Desmond Bane, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton have earned nearly $1 billion in combined contracts this offseason.
Learn more about the biggest NBA 2023 updates by continuing to read below.
Lillard hell-bent on joining the Heat
Upon making his trade request, Damian Lillard made it known that he wants to go to the Heat. However, since Lillard doesn’t have a no-trade clause, unlike Bradley Beal, the Blazers aren’t under significant pressure to send him there.
Because of how much Lillard means to the club, the Blazers are going to make sure that they get the best package available for their franchise player.
Unfortunately for the Heat, they don’t have much to entice the Blazers unless they part ways with either Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler, which Lillard doesn’t want.
The Blazers are reportedly listening to offers for Lillard, with teams such as the Celtics, Nets, Sixers, and Clippers all in the running. If they are going to push through a trade with the Heat, a third team is likely to be added to the deal, which makes it trickier.
Damian Lillard spent his entire 11-year career with the Blazers and is coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 32.2 points per game while shooting 37-per cent from three-point range.
But there are concerns about his age because he will turn 33 in just a few days, and he has two years left on his four-year deal worth just more than $176 million, with a player option for next season worth nearly $48 million.
Kings, Lakers, Warriors extend their stars
The Kings agreed to sign Sabonis to a five-year, $217 million contract to prevent him from hitting the open market next summer.
Sabonis arrived in Sacramento in a trade that sent Tyrese Haliburton to the Pacers midway through the 2021-22 season. With averages of 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game in the 2022-23 regular season, he helped the Kings make it back to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.
D’Angelo Russell, meanwhile, signed a two-year, $37 million contract with the Lakers that includes a player option for the second year.
Originally drafted by the team in 2015, Russell returned to LA as part of a three-team trade between the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Jazz, essentially replacing Russell Westbrook in the starting PG role.
Russell has averaged 17.4 points and 6.4 assists per game in 17 regular season games since the trade. However, his numbers dipped to 13.3 points and 4.6 assists in the playoffs, while he shot only 42-per cent from the field.
Draymond Green, signed a similar extension that he had back in 2019, where he’ll earn $100 million for the next four years, including a player option in the final year.
The Warriors may not be the title favourites in the SBOTOP NBA 2023 odds, but with Green, Thompson, and Curry, it would be foolish to completely count them out.
2020 Draft Class studs get their bag
Ball, Edwards, and Haliburton have agreed on a five-year, $260 million contract with the Hornets, Timberwolves, and Pacers, respectively, while Bane’s deal is clocked at five years for $207 million.
Ball, who won Rookie of the Year in 2021, averaged career highs in points (23.3) and assists (8.4) last season, but he only played 36 regular season games due to ankle injuries.
Edwards, a first-time All-Star last season, averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He is one of the most versatile swingmen in the league today.
Haliburton’s new deal is the largest in Pacers history and also the team’s second deal ever that went over $100 million. In his debut year at Indiana, Haliburton earned his first All-Star selection after averaging 20.7 points and 10.4 assists per game in the regular season.Bane’s $207 million deal is the first in Grizzlies history, and he earned it after developing into one of the NBA’s best young shooting guards. He averaged career highs in points (21.5), rebounds (5.0), and assists (4.4) and field goal percentage (48%) last season.
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