Because I can't. I can think of trade demands like with Vince Carter leaving Toronto in the early 2000's that resulted with the team losing their star with a bag of peanuts in return- but even in that case Vince Carter didn't even demand to be traded to his new spot (New Jersey Nets).

I don't see any evidence that free agents "aren't going to come to Portland" if we don't do what Dame wants. I think saying that is ridiculous, and just a viewpoint a "Portland owes Dame" person would say. And that rings especially true for people like Stephen A. Smith who isn't even a Blazers fan. It's none of his business.

Let's not forget that nobody ever really wants to come to Portland anyway. This won't be "icing on the cake" to that. Players will come here because we either draft them, pay them the most, or because we trade for them. It is very unlikely that any free agents that will be considering coming here for reasons other than money are going to get hung up on the 2023 Damian Lillard trade.

Anyway, if there is an example where free agents flocked to a team, especially a small market team, because they did their former star a solid- I'd like to read about it.