At this point, everyone who follows the NBA is well aware of the drama surrounding Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. After 11 seasons, Lillard finally asked to be traded, specifically to the Miami Heat, but the Blazers have instead shopped him to other teams. What has followed is a series of conflicting reports about where he will end up, with at least four teams being linked to Lillard thus far.
Considering that he has at least three years remaining on his contract plus a player option that he is unlikely to turn down, teams that might otherwise not have entered the fray for Lillard could be emboldened to do so. After all, he will turn 34 this summer, and with up to four years remaining on his deal, his next team may be his last team. With so many potential offers to choose from, the Blazers will have to prioritize several things if they want to quickly move on from the Lillard era.
For starters, by moving on from their best player, they would be clearing off his ugly contract, which would pay him north of $60 million when he is 36. They could also look to include starting center Jusuf Nurkic and his large contract in a deal for Lillard, allowing them to hit the reset button on their franchise. The Blazers will also likely prioritize receiving young players and picks in return for them, but what would be the best possible trade package for Lillard? Let’s take a look.
NBA Trades #6: Miami Heat
The Heat remain the perceived frontrunners to land Lillard, even though they do not appear to have the assets needed to get a deal done at the moment. Still, team president Pat Riley has a knack for making trades happen when they don’t initially seem likely.
It also helps that Lillard prefers to play in Miami, though that might not be enough to convince the Blazers to take less. The framework of a deal could include Kyle Lowry’s nearly $30 million expiring salary, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, three first-round picks and a pick swap going to Portland in exchange for Lillard.
However, the Heat could rope in a third team willing to take on Tyler Herro and reroute a third first-round pick Portland’s way. Would that be enough? Possibly, though, the Blazers could try to extract more, including Caleb Martin or a couple of first-round pick swaps. There are ways in which Miami is able to scrounge up enough assets.
However, it would mean gutting the team to do so, and they have already lost Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Cody Zeller and could lose another three or four rotation players in their pursuit of Lillard. If any team can figure out a way to cobble together a rotation around Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo, it’s the Heat. Then again, their plans to add Lillard will depend on the help of another team.
NBA Trades #5: Boston Celtics
Despite already trading for an all-star and having two more on their roster, the Boston Celtics have been linked to Lillard. While the most obvious deal would involve trading Jaylen Brown for Dame, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne has reported that the Celtics could cobble together a deal for him without including their best players.
Doing so would be wildly expensive, though it would keep another team in the Eastern Conference from getting him. Better yet, it would serve as payback for Boston after Miami eliminated them last season in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A potential trade package would have to include Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon, as well as Payton Pritchard. Additionally, they could include their 2024, 2026, and 2029 first-round picks and a 2028 first-round pick swap.
That might not be the best offer that Portland receives for Lillard, but it is actually better than it first appears. For instance, White is certainly worth a first-round pick on his own, and perhaps Brogdon too if fully healthy.
Portland could later trade each to a contender, perhaps resulting in Dame being moved for the equivalent of five first-rounders. It might be worth a shot for Boston, but Portland might have better offers to choose from.
NBA Trades #4: Philadelphia 76ers
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Philadelphia 76ers could have already traded for Lillard had they been willing to trade Tyrese Maxey. As it is, that doesn’t seem likely to happen, but it should. While I can understand the reasoning behind keeping a 21-year-old who just averaged better than 20 points per game, Philly has a limited window to build around MVP Joel Embiid.
Thus, pairing him and Lillard together could be the perfect combination. Better yet, by trading Maxey and Tobias Harris’ expiring contracts, they might perhaps convince former MVP James Harden to stay for another season and form a high-powered big three. Doing so would give their team a strong chance to win the East while sticking it to three other teams on this list who share the same conference.t
It would also limit the Sixers’ ceiling in the long term without a young player like Maxey to help Embiid as he enters his 30s. That being said, they might only have a few runs left with Embiid, and as things currently stand, they don’t have what it takes to beat some of the East’s elite teams. Acquiring Lillard would be a drastic move that would limit their future but boost their title chances.
For Portland, Harris’ big expiring contract could be valuable at the trade deadline, and Maxey would arguably be the best young player offered for Dame. Then again, his fit with Henderson is sketchy, and they would have to pay him after next season. Still, they might say yes to a deal involving him.
NBA Trades #3: New York Knicks
After failing to land Donovan Mitchell last summer, the New York Knicks have been linked to several stars but have yet to actually land one. It is no coincidence that their name keeps coming up in trade rumors since they have a combination of large expiring contracts, good young players, and plenty of draft picks.
Those three things are often key to pulling off a blockbuster deal, and the Knicks’ hypothetical trade package might be of some interest to the Blazers. Evan Fournier has a big expiring contract, which means that they won’t have to take back two or three smaller contracts in his place. RJ Barrett is a promising young player on an affordable contract with three years remaining, while Immanuel Quickley is an in-demand young point guard who is making just $4.1 million next season.
Throw in three first-round picks, and the Knicks would actually have a respectable offer for Lillard. Their offer would depend on how the Blazers view Barrett, who isn’t everyone’s cup of coffee. But if they like him and Quickley, then that would be five assets in return for Lillard, far more than what most teams can offer.
For the Knicks, they’d add Lillard to a core of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, who helped their team overachieve last season. With Dame as their best player, the Knicks could reach new heights and give themselves enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with some of the East’s best teams in the playoffs and win.
NBA Trades #2: Brooklyn Nets
Unlike the Heat, the Brooklyn Nets are an underdog to land Lillard. Also, unlike the Heat, the Nets have plenty of assets needed to make a deal. Ironically, this comes after they cashed in most of their assets to form a big three with James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving.
Fortunately for them, they turned Durant and Irving into six first-round picks and could use some of those assets to acquire Dame from the Blazers. There is still a holdover from that big three-era, Ben Simmons, and despite being a negative asset, he would make a potential trade with Portland easier due to his large salary.
A package centered around Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, and three first-round picks for Lillard and Nurkic might entice the Blazers. Portland would be stuck with Simmons, who might be a lost cause at this point, but he would have a massive expiring contract after next season, possibly making him a future trade asset.
As could veterans O’Neale and Finney-Smith, allowing the Blazers to add to the three first-rounders that they’d receive in the proposed deal. Overall, the Nets package might be light on young prospects, but receiving three future firsts and three potential future trade assets should interest Portland.
NBA Trades #1: San Antonio Spurs
Although the San Antonio Spurs are perhaps the most random inclusion on this list, they have some of the best assets in the NBA to trade. Headlining their trade proposal would be Keldon Johnson, who, at 23, averaged 22 points per game last season. He is also on a declining contract that will pay him less than $20 million a season over the next four years.
They can also offer sharpshooter Doug McDermott, who’s on an expiring contract and could be moved at the trade deadline for a couple of second-round picks, and Devonte Graham. Moving Johnson, McDermott, and Graham, as well as Toronto’s top-six protected first in 2024, Charlotte’s top-14 protected 2024 first, and Atlanta’s unprotected 2025 first for Lillard, would potentially make the Spurs a contender.
That will depend on Victor Wembanyama and whether Devin Vassell can take another big leap next season. On the other hand, Portland would be able to add Johnson to a promising young core that includes Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe, while also getting two potential lottery picks out of the deal.
That is a strong return for an aging star and would probably make the Blazers think strongly about moving him to San Antonio. Whether San Antonio would is unclear, but they certainly have the assets to acquire Lillard.