If the Portland Trail Blazers get their way, Damian Lillard will be traded before they open training camp on Oct. 3. Recent reports suggest that if or when Lillard is dealt, it may not necessarily be to the Miami Heat, with other teams now getting involved too.
So far the Blazers haven’t liked the offers Miami has presented, and based on the fact that Lillard hasn’t been traded just yet, it’s clear Portland hasn’t liked any other offers either. However, that doesn’t mean the Blazers haven’t considered several other trade packages.
One player of interest is the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, center DeAndre Ayton from the Phoenix Suns. According to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, the Blazers have “strongly considered” trading for Ayton in what would be a multi-team trade for Lillard.
Based on Fischer’s gatherings, this potential trade would also involve Jusuf Nurkic heading to Phoenix, giving the Suns an immediate replacement for their starting center.
Yet, even if there’s smoke on an Ayton to Portland trade, there would have to be several other moving parts. Ayton is signed to a four-year, $132.9 million contract. There are three years left on the deal, and he’s set to have a cap hit of $32.4 million in 2023.
Not to mention, Ayton doesn’t have nearly the same amount of value as Lillard, meaning the Blazers will have to find more attractive trade pieces to find a deal to their liking. In a trade as complicated as parting with a former franchise cornerstone, finding the appropriate value will not be easy. We’ll see how motivated the Blazers are to stick to their Oct. 3 deadline with Lillard.
Related: NBA insider names two top suitors for Damian Lillard trade