While some recent reports say the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat are getting closer to compromising on the price of a Damian Lillard trade, others say the Blazers are “unmotivated to engage” with Miami in talks. Who knows what’s true and what’s not as both organizations continue to posture in public.
What’s clear is that the Heat have yet to offer the Blazers a package general manager Joe Cronin has deemed a fair enough return for an elite NBA point guard.
It seems the main sticking point comes in the form of future draft picks. Right now, Miami can offer two first-round picks, one in 2028 and one in 2030, and three pick swaps. The Heat could free up a third first-rounder, but whether or not they have – or are even willing – to offer that in a trade is still a question mark.
The most attractive part of any return is 23-year-old guard Tyler Herro, but there’s no use for him in Portland, so the plan would be to reroute him to another team for an additional first-round pick, but that seemingly has yet to gain any real traction either.
The Blazers and Heat will continue (or start?) to negotiate, and it’s likely any Lillard trade gets Dame to South Beach. But perhaps it’s time for Cronin to re-think his strategy, or at least expand that strategy, to include other options.
Trail Blazers should explore deals for established All-Stars rather than future draft picks in a Damian Lillard trade
There were numerous pre-draft rumors involving Portland’s No. 3 pick that eventually became Scoot Henderson. Those rumors included trading that selection to Boston for Jaylen Brown, Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns, New Orleans for Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, Toronto for Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby, and a few others.
What if the Blazers decide to revisit some of those players, but rather than flipping a high draft pick to bring them to Portland, trade Dame himself for one of those stars who would be around as Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe grow into potential All-Stars and help turn the Blazers into a contender in the West earlier than expected?
Both Scoot and Sharpe proved during short stints in summer league that their games are more advanced than we perhaps thought; they’re obviously not ready to lead a franchise toward an NBA title, but despite their age – 19 and 20 years old, respectively – they’re certainly not raw.
There are four players who have already received an All-Star berth during their careers, are or would be locked into a long-term deal to stick around in Portland, and are young enough to still be in their primes once Henderson and Sharpe reach the point in their careers when they’re ready to help a team make a legitimate postseason push.
Is it worth turning Dame into a player like that rather than trading him for 75 cents on the dollar?
No. 1: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
Is Ingram as good of a player as Lillard? No. But he’s 25 years old, locked into a much less expensive deal for two more seasons and is a better fit next to a Scoot-Shaedon backcourt.
The 6-foot-8 wing has averaged 23.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on nearly 51 percent shooting from two-point range and 37.5 percent from three since he arrived in NOLA four seasons ago. He’s an efficient three-level scorer with playmaking skills and the size and length to slide perfectly into a wing spot alongside Jerami Grant.
Ingram would be an ideal go-to scorer and offensive hub while Henderson and Sharpe continue to develop their offensive repertoires.
By the time Scoot turns 22 and Sharpe turns 23, BI would be just 28 and heading into his NBA prime. He fits Portland’s rebuilding timeline and could perhaps even enhance it as a 10-year veteran who could help the Blazers’ young core ready itself for the postseason.
Would swapping Lillard out for a sure-thing in Ingram be a better option than waiting 5 to 7 years for draft picks to roll around that might land in the 20s? Would he be better than banking on the potential development of Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr., the best young prospects the Heat have to offer?
No. 2: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
KAT has a number of things going for him in terms of his fit with the Blazers. Most importantly, through, his offensive game meshes perfectly with those of Henderson and Sharpe. The trio could unlock each other’s potential on that side of the floor to give the Trail Blazers one of the most dynamic offenses in the NBA.
Even in fewer than three quarters of summer league action, Scoot showed he’s wise and patient beyond his years as the ball handler in a pick-and-roll; he plays at his own pace, waits for the defense to commit and then makes his move.
Towns and Henderson could become one of the league’s deadliest duos in the P&R. KAT would be able to flourish as a roll man or give Scoot space to attack the basket in a pick-and-pop scenario. He would also be able to stand near the three-point line and run dribble-handoffs with either Henderson or Sharpe, making the defense commit to stopping either guard or staying at home on the perimeter with Towns. Good luck stopping both.
Although he’s never developed into a major rim-deterrent, the three-time All-Star and 2023 3-point Contest winner has averaged 1.3 blocks per game over his career.
KAT is 27 – which would put him at 30 years old when Scoot and Shaedon have played three and four years in the league, respectively – and is about to start an admittedly large four-year contract. But the big man would be around when Portland’s future backcourt begins to officially morph into the unstoppable duo we all hope it will be.
One more thing: it’s going to be difficult for the Timberwolves to continue with a roster on which Towns, Rudy Gobert and now Naz Reid – three centers – make $90 million combined and Minnesota should be handing the keys to Anthony Edwards as the franchise centerpiece.
Something has to change for the T-Wolves, and Towns’ name was already tossed around in rumors before the draft.
No. 3: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Brown appeared to be the white whale of Portland’s pre-draft trade talks. The 26-year-old became a Second-Team All-NBA player last season after averaging 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) in a career year with a Celtics team that made the Eastern Conference Finals.
So why would Boston part with the two-time All-Star? One word: money.
After earning his All-NBA nod, Brown is eligible for a five-year, $295 million contract extension from the Celtics. Most extensions were done in the opening days of free agency, like Grant’s, but the league is still waiting on Brown and Boston to come to an agreement.
Reportedly, the only holdup is the fifth year of the extension – the former Cal star rightfully wants it, while the Celtics are understandably hesitant. But the longer the two sides negotiate and the more Boston tries to penny-pinch, the further the door opens for Brown to desire an exit.
Jaylen hinted earlier this year that he would be willing to leave if Boston doesn’t make him feel wanted or needed. Does haggling over a fifth year on a huge extension make him feel unwanted or unneeded? Because he sure would be welcomed in Portland as the Blazers’ long-awaited answer to a significant wing dilemma.
No. 4: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
This Lillard trade would present the most risk as Zion has struggled to stay healthy and in shape since he entered the league as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft. However, it also carries the most upside.
Williamson has played just 114 games and has still been named an All-Star twice. When he stuck around and played 61 games in the 2020-21 season, he was one of the best players in the entire league, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 61.1 percent shooting.
When healthy (there it is again), Zion is simply one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the NBA and has an upside that arguably eclipses even those of Scoot and Sharpe.
Adding the 23-year-old and allowing him to grow alongside Henderson and Sharpe could prove to be Cronin’s career-defining move. Picture Scoot tossing alley-oops to both Shaedon and Zion. It would be electric.
All of this comes down to one simple question that Cronin and the Blazers would need to answer: Is any package they get from the Heat – future draft picks that come with some question marks and young players who haven’t shown future star upside – be more attractive than a young, controllable and established All-Star who would still fit Portland’s current timeline?