Chris
On the LeBatard show, Dan talks about why the Miami Heat were not able to bring Damian Lillard this summer to the team. He said,
“Joe Cronin was willing to do the thing that Lillard wasn’t. Lillard didn’t want to torch the relationship with that city…Cronin was willing to do something dirty to a relationship.
Cronin traded the franchise’s greatest player, Lillard, to the Milwaukee Bucks after spending three months navigating a difficult trade request from the seven-time NBA All-Star.
Trail Blazers Media Day 2023 Cronin talked on the trade and the past week, he said,
“I want to open up thanking Damian Lillard for 11 incredible seasons with us. Obviously, [he’s] a Blazer legend, and we’re very excited to see what he’s got in store next, and we’re rooting for him.”
Dan commented on Cronian way of trade in the past weeks, he said,
“Cronin is on his dream job with the pressure of you better not blow this, you gotta protect your job not Damian Lillard jor nor feeling, your job is the one you got to protect here.”
He continued,
“In that crossroad, you torch your relationship with Lillard cuz he was careful how he did his job. But at this stage of Lillard”s career, Cronin did get something better than what the Miami Heat had to offer.”
He also added,
“They are under contract, why would they keep getting traded to wherever they want, If you are under contract the player has the power. But Cronin was willing to do something dirty to a relationship. It is just business.
