The Damian Lillard saga was always bound to be a long one after the seven-time All-Star requested a trade from his longtime Portland Trail Blazers. On Monday, general manager Joe Cronin assured reporters the organization isn't concerned with how long it takes.

“We’re going to be patient,” Cronin said, via ESPN. “We’re going to do what’s best for our team. We’re going to see, you know, how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months.”

His comments came during a news conference held concerning Portland's new five-year, $160 million contract with forward Jerami Grant.

Since it was Cronin's first time speaking with reporters since news of Lillard's trade request surfaced on July 1, it's no surprise the future of a player who has been with the team since 2012 took center stage.

While Cronin opted not to dive into specifics, he did say that he and Lillard have not spoken since the trade request became public.

All eyes on Miami

Cronin and Portland are "open for business everywhere in the league" when it comes to Lillard, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. But the 32-year-old has made it so clear he hopes to land with the Miami Heat, his agent is reportedly cautioning other interested teams he wouldn't be happy anywhere else.

Despite the lack of conversation with Lillard, Cronin maintained an amicable front as he took accountability for not reaching the goal of winning "as quickly as possible."

"I didn’t get done what I needed to get done. In that sense, I do feel like I failed Dame," he said. He even went as far as saying that he understood why Lillard "would like to go elsewhere.”

Theoretically, the veteran guard could be an amazing fit for the Heat, but it's unclear exactly how both sides can be left happy in a deal to make it happen. Lillard is coming off a season when he averaged 32.2 points for the Trail Blazers. Without him, the team will need that kind of production and then some if it hopes to improve.

“In any deal, the goal is to come out with the best outcome. It could be more of a win-now player. It could be a young player and [draft] picks. It could be just picks. There’s no set parameters," Cronin said Monday.

Although Cronin didn't elaborate, Portland is reportedly "seeking in the neighborhood of four first-round picks and two quality players. But accomplishing that could require adding a third team to the equation," according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

As those private discussions continue to develop, it seems likely Lillard's next stop will remain a point of public conversation deep into this summer.