Now that Bradley Beal has been dealt from the Washington Wizards to the Phoenix Suns, the next domino the NBA community is looking to is Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. This isn’t a new scenario. Lillard has long been mentioned in trade rumors, whether he likes it or not.
While the Blazers have been competitive in times past, they have not made the playoffs in either of the past two seasons and are coming off a 13th-place finish in the Western Conference. This isn’t a team set to win the NBA Finals next season without drastic changes to the roster.
Pushing toward contention is what every team desires to do, but it’s not possible for all 30 NBA teams. The Blazers, who hold the third and 23rd picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, could also try and trade Lillard, embracing a complete rebuilding effort.
But that’s not what the soon-to-be 33-year-old seven-time All-Star wants. According to Shams Charania, Lillard doesn’t intend to leave Portland, “He wants to be there, and he wants that team to get better.”
As Charania puts it, Lillard has left the decision up to the Blazers on whether they blow up the roster or find a way to field a competitive roster that helps the All-NBA point guard chase what would be the first NBA championship of his career.
Standing pat at No. 3 could land the Blazers another franchise cornerstone to pair with Lillard while hoping Shaedon Sharpe continues to develop into a star. But they could also potentially package that pick with another thriving scorer in Anfernee Simons to make a push for the playoffs next season. As mentioned, the Blazers have some tough decisions to make this summer, but it appears their superstar is on board with the team’s direction, no matter what.
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