Damian Lillard says months following trade request ‘left a sour taste in my mouth’: report

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The Damian Lillard tenure in Portland came to an end on Wednesday when the Trail Blazers shipped the seven-time All-Star to the Milwaukee Bucks. 

The move sent shock waves through the NBA nearly three months after Lillard requested a trade out of Portland. 

Damian Lillard, #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers, controls the ball during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on March 22, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Lillard had expressed his desire to land with the Miami Heat, a spot that Portland refused to engage with since July, according to Bleacher Report. 

HEAT'S JIMMY BUTLER SAYS BUCKS SHOULD BE PROBED FOR TAMPERING AFTER DAMIAN LILLARD TRADE

"How this summer played out behind the scenes definitely left a sour taste in my mouth," Lillard told Bleacher Report. "But it doesn't change the amazing experiences I've had with the Trail Blazers and this city. I'll always cherish this place. This is my home. I'll always live here regardless."

Following Lillard’s trade request on July 1, Portland general manager Joe Cronin made it clear that the organization would seek to find the best deal for their future, and that the team was willing to wait in order to make that happen. 

"I think what I've learned more than anything is patience is critical. Don’t be reactive, don’t jump at things to seemingly solve a problem," Cronin said in July. "I think the teams that have ended up in the most positive situations post-trade have been the ones that have been really diligent in taking their time and not been impulsive, or the teams that really kept their urgency under control.

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