In an appearance on the "Sports By Northwest" podcast by The Oregonian, ESPN's Marc Spears gave an update on Damian Lillard's trade request. Spears said Lillard is still focused on getting to the Miami Heat, but that Jayson Tatum has tried to recruit the star guard to the Boston Celtics.

JaVale McGee has been waived and stretched by the Dallas Mavericks.

The Sacramento Kings have interest in signing McGee once he clears waivers. McGee previously played for Mike Brown when he was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

Damian Lillard publicly confirmed for the first time he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers

“I can say that there was [a trade request] and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers,” said Lillard to Marc J. Spears. 

On July 28, the NBA sent out a memo to all 30 teams stating that if Lillard and his agent Aaron Goodwin made any future comments, privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not “fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade,” he would be subject to discipline by the league.

Lillard could be subject to league discipline for publicly acknowledging the trade request. 

Lillard declined to comment on what ultimately led to the trade request.

“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers. It’s lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers.”

Lillard prefers a trade to the Miami Heat, but talks have not yet progressed. 

“It’s higher than it’s ever been," said Lillard on his motivation to win a title. "When you’re younger and you’re winning, you realize that you got time. When you establish yourself in the league and you know that you’re here to stay, you feel like you have time. The older you get, that just means more time that you’ve put into it, especially when you’re at the top of the game and you’re having all these individual accomplishments, it becomes more and more of a priority to have the ultimate accomplishment, which is why we play the game, in winning the championship.

“I would say the desire for that now is as high as it’s probably going to be. That’s literally the thing at the top of my list. When I wake up and I got to get up and go do what I got to do, I got to train, I got to make time for my kids, I still got to lift, I got to do all these things and I got to make sure that training and the preparation is still my priority. Even with being a father of three now, not one, and having all these other responsibilities, you need something that you feel pretty strong about to stay committed the way I’ve been committed. It’s as high as it’s going to get. That’s ultimately what I want to experience and that’s what I want to get done.”

Regardless of the outcome, Lillard plans to stay rooted in Portland.

“I love the city of Portland,” Lillard said. “Every initiative that I’ve started, I’ll continue and I’ll finish regardless of anything. The love will be that because the way I’ve said I feel about Portland is how I feel about Portland. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. It’s been fine. It’s been what it’s always been …

“[Portland-area residents] just tell me they love me. That’s literally what they say. ‘Dame, we love you. We thank you for everything.’ That’s the dialogue. It’s pretty simple and to the point."

The Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat have reportedly had very little dialogue on a Damian Lillard trade despite his trade request coming on July 1st.

The expectation among those close to the situation is that talks could pick up once training camp gets closer.

The Blazers have not been in a rush to deal Lillard as they hope for an improved offer, but bringing him into camp and potentially the preseason is viewed by some as a risk.

Blazers general manager Joe Cronin went on the record in July indicating that a Lillard trade could "take months."

Josh Harris said the Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to work on convincing James Harden to remain with the franchise for the 23-24 season after they've been unable to find a workable trade.

“Listen, we’re hard at work,” Harris said Monday. “I respect James. I want to, obviously, accommodate what he wants. At the same time, I have to think about a championship-contending team, what we can get back. I’d love to convince him to stay. I understand that that’s not what he wants to do right now.

“I’m going to keep working to resolve it in a way that everyone can live with and is positive for everyone, whatever that resolution is. … I respect him as a basketball player, and as a person. It’s back to, these are, you’re dealing with people, right? And you’ve got to be there. We’ll see where it comes out.”

Harden attempted to increase the pressure on the Sixers to trade him by calling Daryl Morey "a liar" during an event in China.

The Sixers told Harden they intend for him to report to camp after the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly moved on from trade talks.

James Harden told NBA investigators that his comments about Daryl Morey were in reference to a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers if he opted into his $35.6 million option for 23-24.

Morey allegedly told Harden he would "quickly" trade him after the opt-in decision in late June.

The Sixers' stance is now that they expect to keep Harden as a trade this offseason didn't materialize. 

A contentious offseason between James Harden the Philadelphia 76ers was ratcheted up when the team communicated they expect him in camp and the player responded by calling Daryl Morey "a liar." 

The timing of the Sixers making that declaration could have been dictated by the Los Angeles Clippers moving on from trade talks. The Sixers did not see a market materialize for Harden beyond the Clippers.

"One of the things that happened here is I think the Clippers had decided there was no trade," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I think the Clippers were going to move on from it and at least from talking to Philly about it. I think the only option Philly had at the time was the Clippers and so when that never got off the ground, from what I understand. They had multiple conversations... You can see the two rosters. You can see what the trade pieces are. You can understand why they wouldn't [do a trade].

"As long as Philly wasn't interested in taking some assets from the Clippers and then making an offer, probably with Tyrese Maxey for Damian Lillard, I don't see how a Clipper trade makes a ton of sense for them anyway.

"I think what ticked James off was that they announced they wanted to bring him back and he was reacting to that more than anything."

The NBA has opened an inquiry into the circumstances around James Harden's public critique of Daryl Morey in which he was called "a liar." Harden also said he will never play for a team that also employs Morey.

The league is pursuing whether Harden was portending a hold out of the 23-24 season, or if he was referencing past contract discussions with the Sixers that could be a circumvention of the cap.

Harden has privately indicated that his public comments calling Morey a "liar" on Monday morning had only been a response to Morey ending trade discussions. Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option with the Sixers in late June with the expectation he would be traded.

The Sixers told Harden that they hadn't found a workable trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and expect him to report to camp in September. 

The Sixers were stripped of two second round picks for premature conversations last offseason with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.

In an interview in Houston, James Harden was asked if he believes his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers is beyond repair.

“I think so,” Harden replied.

Harden has been seeking a trade from the Sixers all offseason with the Los Angeles Clippers his preferred destination. After the Sixers leaked to the media that they have pulled him from the trade block, Harden responded by calling Daryl Morey "a liar."

“I’ve been patient all summer,” Harden said when asked about how patient he will need to be. “For me, it’s just focus on what I can control and that’s working out, staying in shape, and getting ready for a good season.”

The Portland Trail Blazers continue to show no interest in engaging with the Miami Heat on a Damian Lillard trade.

Lillard requested a trade to the Heat on July 1st.

The NBA has only scheduled one national television game for the Blazers, which will be when they host the Heat in February.