It’s not yet known whether the Portland Trail Blazers will be forced to trade seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard.
Though, there’s now a chance that Lillard does in fact decide to request a trade after 11 seasons with the organization. Portland is coming off a disastrous 2022-23 season. Lillard wants to play for a contender. If the Blazers don’t make the necessarily summertime move to appease him, Dame will ask out.
Needless to say, interest in Lillard would be nearly unprecedented given his track record and performance this past season. The dude averaged north of 32 points with 7.3 assists. He’s one of the top players in the game. Below, we look at four ideal trade scenarios.
Related: Updated NBA trade rumors
Philadelphia 76ers get Dame in 3-team blockbuster
- Philadelphia 76ers get: Damian Lillard
- Portland Trail Blazers get: Tyrese Maxey, Ben Simmons, Day’Ron Sharpe, 3 1st-round picks
- Brooklyn Nets get: Tobias Harris
If James Harden does indeed leave Philadelphia in free agency the team is going to have to go out there and find a replacement in the backcourt. Unfortunately, the 76ers don’t have room under the salary cap to make a major move in free agency outside of pulling off a sign-and-trade.
It makes perfect sense to call up Portland about potentially acquiring Lillard. Teaming him up with reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid would make one of the best duos in the league. Sure, GM Daryl Morey would have to fill out the remainder of the roster with cheap options, but it’s a potentially dynamic pairing.
From the Blazers’ perspective, they acquire one of the best young players in the game in that of Tyrese Maxey. Morey had in the past pushed back against trading him. But with an opportunity to acquire Lillard, that could change. Portland also takes on Ben Simmons’ albatross of a contract as a means to an end. That is to say, acquiring a young big in Sharpe and three future first-round picks in the deal.
Brooklyn’s involvement would be paramount in a deal of this ilk. It adds a much more valuable trade chip in the expiring contract of Tobias Harris while moving off Simmons. The cost? One future first-round pick and Sharpe.
Related: Top 100 NBA free agents of 2023
Dallas Mavericks land new Luka Doncic running partner
- Dallas Mavericks get: Damian Lillard
- Portland Trail Blazers get: Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, Maxi Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., Davis Bertans, 2 1st-round picks
As with Philadelphia, this is all dependent on an impending free agent leaving Big D. While it seems likely that Kyrie Irving returns to the Mavericks, he’s going to test the free-agent waters. A true wild card during his time in the NBA, there’s no guarantee of a return.
If Irving does indeed depart, Dallas will have to find a running partner for Luka Doncic. His future with the team may depend on it. In this scenario, the Mavs create a potentially dominant backcourt. Lillard and Luka would complement one another a great deal.
- Damian Lillard career stats: 25.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.7 APG, 46% shooting, 37% 3-point
Why would Portland do this? It’s rather simple. The team acquires two high-upside young guards in that of Green and Hardy. Both have shown a nice amount of talent with Green being a recent first-round pick. Kleber and Hardaway Jr. can both be flipped for more assets while adding two future first-round picks is icing on the cake.
Miami Heat land Damian Lillard
- Miami Heat get: Damian Lillard
- Portland Trail Blazers get: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, 3 1st-round picks
Miami is one of two Eastern Conference contenders that has been linked to Lillard more than others. It makes perfect sense. Despite a shocking run to the NBA Finals this past season, the Heat are in need of another star to team up with Jimmy Butler. Miami is also rumored to be in the market for a high-profile player.
We love Dame as a fit with Jimmy Buckets. He’s a consistent 30-point scorer with one of the deepest ranges in the game. Meanwhile, Butler’s bread-and-butter is the mid-range and finishing in the low post. Talk about a perfect fit.
In this scenario, Portland picks up a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year in Tyler Herro. He’s still only 23 years old. The guard has also performed at a high clip over the past two seasons (20.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.1 APG on 39% shooting from three). The Blazers could either keep Herro as part of their rebuild or flip him for what would be some nice assets. A first-round pick last year, Jovic showed promise as a rookie, too. Add in three future first-round picks, and this might be the best offer Portland could receive for Lillard.
Related: 2023 NBA mock draft
Dame to the Big Apple in blockbuster trade
- Brooklyn Nets get: Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic
- Portland Trail Blazers get: Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neele, Joe Harris, Patty Mills, 2 1st-round pick
The other Eastern Conference squad that has been linked to Lillard, it’s not yet known in what direction the Nets are going to go. General manager Sean Marks has pushed back against dealing Bridges since acquiring him in the Kevin Durant trade. Could Lillard being available change this?
Acquiring the future Hall of Fame guard would be part of a larger plan to bring in another star. Dame with the Nets after this hypothetical trade would not create a championship contender. That complicates things.
As for Portland, it was said to be demanding Bridges as part of a package for the third pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. General manager Joe Cronin obviously loves what the 26-year-old forward brings to the table. For good reason. He averaged 26.1 points in Brooklyn after being acquired from Phoenix. A core of Bridges, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe would be a nice start in the Pacific Northwest.