The Portland Trail Blazers are facing a franchise-altering decision on Damian Lillard’s trade request. The seven-time All-Star wants to join the Miami Heat, but the Blazers have zero interest in their best offer. It creates a standoff, and neither side is giving in.
Lillard has a decision to make as training camp approaches. He is just starting a four-year $176.2 million extension that features a player option in 2026-27. The legend has to report to camp with the only team he has ever known or fines will come. Lillard could hold out or even double down on his trade request after arriving. The 6’2 guard may expand his wish list to feature multiple teams.
The Blazers must wait for the top offer to trade arguably the best player in franchise history. Portland knows other teams can and will offer more for Dame, but even those packages get reduced if Lillard does not want to play for the franchise.
Will the Portland Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard to a team other than the Heat?
The Blazers have a talented roster behind Lillard, which makes this trade even more important. Scoot Henderson could be special, and Portland hopes to help Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons blossom into All-Stars. If they can add another young piece or two, the Trail Blazers could quickly jump back into contention with an exciting future.
Portland needs to find the right team if Dame is firm on being traded. Expect others to make offers, including some young squads that are hungry to jump into contention. The New Orleans Pelicans are the perfect example, and Bleacher Report proposed a hypothetical trade that is worth considering.
Laying out the New Orleans Pelicans proposal for Damian Lillard
Portland’s focus should be young players and draft capital. Trading Lillard means shifting to Scoot Henderson’s timeline. The 19-year-old rookie needs a few years to grow and develop before becoming a superstar.
The Trail Blazers may want a scorer or two to take the pressure off him as a rookie, but the focus should be on pieces that can help him make the franchise a contender in his third season.
Portland does not want C.J. McCollum, but the Pelicans have to trade him for salary-matching purposes in this hypothetical deal. The Clippers are searching for a guard and enter as a logical third team to take McCollum.
The Pelicans flip C.J. McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Kira Lewis Jr., and three first-round picks into Lillard. It gives them a Big 3 with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram flanking the seven-time All-Star point guard. The Pelicans are eager to contend. This trade gets them closer, but Zion must stay healthy for New Orleans to be a serious threat.
The Clippers trade Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., and Brandon Boston Jr. for C.J. McCollum, which feels like a steal for LA. They want to trade Morris Sr. and Powell, so upgrading to a fringe-All-Star is a massive victory.
The Clippers and Pelicans would be on board, but do the Portland Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard for that package?
Would the Portland Trail Blazers accept this trade for Damian Lillard?
The Blazers focus on getting younger and stockpiling draft capital. Dyson Daniels and Kira Lewis Jr. were both lottery picks in recent years. Lewis Jr. is on the verge of falling out of the league, but Daniels showed promise as a rookie. The 20-year-old point guard is 6’8 with a 6’11 wingspan. He could become a two-way force in the right environment and gives the Blazers some needed size in the backcourt.
Norman Powell and Marcus Morris Sr. are two quality rotation pieces for the Blazers this season, and Brandon Boston Jr. shot 41.4 percent from 3-point range last season in a limited sample as a 21-year-old. Portland also picks up three first-round picks to position themselves further. The Trail Blazers owe the Bulls their first-rounder in 2024, but this deal gives them enough draft capital to acquire a star.
Portland gets a stronger return, but they won’t let C.J. McCollum go to LA for two role players and a former second-round pick. The Blazers could get a protected first-round pick from the Clippers to sweeten this deal.
Grade: C
The Portland Trail Blazers want a massive package for Damian Lillard, and this feels a bit light. They could get three first-round picks and Tyler Herro from the Miami Heat. It would be easier to flip Herro for more draft capital than Norman Powell and Dyson Daniels. Accepting this trade only makes sense if the Blazers think Dyson Daniels turns into a star.
Will the Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard before the start of the season? Does he wind up in Miami? Stay tuned to find out.
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