It has been nearly a month since Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, but the saga has gone on even longer than that. There have been rumors of the superstar wanting out for a few years now, and is apparently pushing his way to play for the Miami Heat. Free agent guard Austin Rivers believes that the entire situation is bad for the NBA.
Rivers: Lillard Trade Saga Is Bad For The NBA
“If you were a free agent, then you could choose where you were gonna go… This started with James [Harden] and Ben [Simmons] and all these guys doing this sh*t. It’s bad for the league.”
Austin Rivers on Damian Lillard’s trade demand
(via ringernba/TT)pic.twitter.com/IsBfRAlace
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 24, 2023
The player empowerment movement has taken over the NBA like it has no other league. Things truly got kicked off with LeBron James and Chris Bosh when they made their infamous move to Miami, and star players have been essentially choosing where they want to play ever since.
Austin Rivers has come out and talked about the effects on the game, and his dislike for the current state of player empowerment:
If you’re a free agent, then you can choose where you want to go. That’s the business. But when you’re not and you sign a deal, man, that’s part of the business, bro. If you get traded somewhere like, you gotta go play, man. This started with like James (Harden) and Ben (Simmons) doing this sh*t. It bad for the league.
Rivers went on to explain that he loves Damian Lillard and has the utmost respect for his game. The two have shared plenty of battles over the years, and Rivers has been tasked with guarding Lillard at times in multiple different playoff series.
Rivers Lashes Out At CBA, Too
Do you agree with Austin Rivers? 😬 pic.twitter.com/FttmKAyPKV
— theScore (@theScore) July 24, 2023
But that doesn’t change how he feels about how the players are forcing their way to more enjoyable situations while the rest of the NBA players have to remain in their current situations.
In the same clip, Rivers went on to explain his disdain for the current CBA that is in place between the NBA and the players union.
You either make $50 million or 2…its a joke, bro. I can’t tell you how many mid-level guys are signing for the vet minimum around the NBA. It’s laughable.
Rivers could be playing in his final days in the league within the next couple of years, if his drop in statistical output is any indication. He averaged just 4.9 points in 19.5 minutes per game with the Timberwolves last season. He hasn’t averaged double digits since 2017-18, and has played for 5 teams in the last 5 seasons.
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