...the game of leak and manipulate began. ESPN published a bizarre news column from Wojnarowski that doubled as a profile of Trail Blazers executive Joe Cronin. The piece began very definitively: “Cronin doesn’t plan to operate a transfer portal to the Miami Heat and dutifully deliver history’s greatest Blazer to his targeted team.”

Wojnarowski also reported on tactics from Goodwin to depress the market outside of Miami. Those threats would later be investigated by the NBA.

Altogether, Wojnarowski was very clear in his perspective on the deal:

“That’s how Miami can still end up landing Lillard. Hang around, wait out the muddled uncertainty of the process and hope the dog days of the summer offseason eat away at rivals’ ambitions. Without a trade, Portland can always bring Lillard back for the start of September training camp.”

 Lillard to Miami was a last resort. ...

Out in South Florida, veteran podcast host Dan Le Batard shared Miami brass’s view that Wojnarowski was “bought and paid for” by Portland. ...If the profile of Cronin wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that longtime Wojnarowski partner Mike Schmitz left ESPN to join Portland’s front office last year.

By the time Lillard was traded this week, [1)] NBA fans suddenly heard that Goodwin made it known earlier in September that Lillard would accept a deal to Brooklyn or Milwaukee in place of the on-the-outs Heat. [That's true.] [2) NBA fans also heard that] Miami apparently never prioritized acquiring Lillard to the degree many assumed. [3)} And the Toronto Raptors were either on the cusp of acquiring Lillard or just a stocking (SIC! "STALKING" not STOCKING. This is Awful Announcing.] horse in negotiations...

...

Why did NBA fans not know Miami had deprioritized a Lillard trade as the summer progressed? How, despite so much reporting on these negotiations, did fans never hear of Lillard’s acquiescence to Brooklyn and Milwaukee until after the fact?