Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell could request trades

PORTLAND, OREGON – DECEMBER 23: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles against Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the game at Moda Center on December 23, 2020 in Portland, Oregon, Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell could request trades. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Adam Silver recently spoke out about how players asking out of their current situation whilst under contract with a team is bad for the league as a whole.

However, in a league that’s largely driven by the players, that trend probably won’t end anytime soon. Players are going to speak out if they are unhappy, and whether Silver likes it or not, that’s not going to change.

In the past few years alone we’ve seen a ton of players do this. Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Ben Simmons, and James Harden (twice).

The trade deadline has come and gone this year, so there won’t be any more trades this season, but with the offseason right around the corner, we’re already starting to hear some rumblings.

Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell could request trades

According to Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated, teams around the league are preparing for three players, in particular, to request trades this summer – Zion Williamson, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell. (H/t RealGM)

Beck mentioned that organizations are already getting ready for this next wave of players to ask out of their current situations, speculating that the aforementioned three are the most likely candidates.

Williamson is in his third NBA season right now but has yet to appear in a game for the New Orleans Pelicans. He’s faced numerous setbacks whilst dealing with a nagging foot injury.

Just recently, CJ McCollum, who the Pelicans just traded for, mentioned that he has yet to speak with Williamson since getting to New Orleans. The whole saga is odd, to say the least.

Lillard is out right now, and with how the Portland Trail Blazers approached the trade deadline, he probably won’t be returning at all this season. He continuously stated that he’s committed to Portland, but that could change at any moment.

And lastly, the drama within the Utah Jazz organization is very odd. There are reports of a rift forming between Mitchell and co-star Rudy Gobert for a long time, and now Mitchell supposedly wants to play in a bigger market.

All three players have been involved in a fair share of drama, and if they do end up requesting trades this summer, almost every team around the league would likely be interested.