3 reasons the Trail Blazers should trade Damian Lillard

When the NBA trade deadline came around, most people expected the Portland Trail Blazers to reshape their team around Damian Lillard.

And while they did do that, it wasn’t in the way that most anticipated. They traded a lot of their core pieces, but the return they got was a lot less than many of their fans had hoped.

That being said, the Blazers are 3-0 since the trade deadline with their new-look roster. Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, and Justise Winslow have all looked solid.

While this level of success isn’t likely to last, it does give them some real hope for the future, and a reason to think about hitting that long-awaited reset button. Should they seriously consider trading Lillard this offseason?

3 reasons the Trail Blazers should trade Damian Lillard: Contract looming

Damian Lillard is under contract through the 2024-25 season, which seems pretty far away. However, he is eligible for another contract extension very soon.

If the Trail Blazers were to sign that extension, they would be paying the point guard close to $60 million by the time he’s nearing 40 years old. That’s simply absurd.

Paying any player that amount of money is crazy, and it’s especially crazy considering Lillard’s age and the fact that point guards don’t often age gracefully.

By trading Lillard now, they would avoid having to pay him all that money, thus shoving the responsibility on another team. Financially speaking, that’s just good business, especially considering where they’re at as a franchise.