With numerous star players recently having issued trade requests, Austin Rivers did not hold back his opinions on the state of the NBA.

During his Off Guard with Austin Rivers podcast, the 11-year veteran spoke about the active trade requests from star players Damian Lillard and James Harden, and how they are having a negative impact on the league.

"The NBA is a privilege," Rivers said. "If you are a free agent, then you can choose where you go. That's the business. ... If you get traded somewhere, you've gotta go play. ... This started with James [Harden] and Ben [Simmons] and all these guys doing this s--t. It's bad for the league."

Lillard's intentions to go to the Miami Heat have become common knowledge, as has Harden's clear preference to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Rivers also called the most recent collective bargaining agreement "a joke."

"[The CBA] is top-heavy," Rivers said. "You either make $50 million or $2 [million]. It's a scary dynamic when stars start acting like this, and I am not a fan of it."

Rivers then delved into his appreciation for Lillard and his competitive drive but expressed frustration at the precedent of players forcing trades to specific destinations.

The 30-year-old, who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022-23, is a free agent and likely feeling the effects of the new CBA as he looks for his next contract.

Lillard's agent reportedly told teams other than the Heat to not trade for his client, which hurts the Blazers' leverage. He is under contract through 2025-26 and has a player option for the following season.