Damian Lillard’s future on the Portland Path Blazers turns into some extent of hypothesis each offseason. The story often performs out like this: followers and media members beg Dame to request a commerce from the one crew he’s ever performed for, Lillard seems to toy with the concept early in the summertime earlier than ultimately coming to the identical conclusion: he’s not “operating from the grind.”
May the story have a special ending this offseason? The Blazers are coming off a 33-49 season, and personal the No. 3 general choose within the 2023 NBA Draft. Lillard, who turns 33 years outdated this summer time, is coming off arguably the very best season of his profession. Lillard is beneath contract for the following 4 years at a whopping $216 million. Can Portland flip right into a contender whereas Dame remains to be enjoying at his peak?
Lillard joined The Final Stand podcast with Brian Custer this week, and considered one of his solutions is bound to spark a brand new spherical of hypothesizing about his future. Custer requested Dame about commerce eventualities to 4 Japanese Convention groups: the New York Knicks Knicks, Miami Warmth, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets. Right here’s what Lillard mentioned about his most well-liked vacation spot.
“Miami, clearly,” Lillard mentioned. “Miami is the apparent one. Bam (Adebayo) is my canine for actual.”
The Warmth are presently tied 1-1 within the 2023 NBA Finals with a historic run as a No. 8 seed. Now think about how harmful they might be after including Lillard — so long as the commerce package deal doesn’t embrace Adebayo.
Damian Lillard’s future might be decided by 2023 NBA Draft
Lillard made his intentions clear in his exit interview after the season:
Damian Lillard: “I haven’t got a lot of an urge for food for constructing with guys 2 and three years away and not likely go after it.”
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) April 9, 2023
If Lillard had it his manner, the Blazers received’t be choosing one other 19- or 20-year-old with the No. 3 general choose within the draft. They might commerce that choose for a longtime star like Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine, or Pascal Siakam.
Are Dame and the Portland entrance workplace on the identical web page? The Blazers drafted an 18-year-old in Shaedon Sharpe final season, who had a formidable rookie yr and is bursting with long-term upside, however is probably going nonetheless just a few years away from with the ability to contribute meaningfully to profitable basketball. Many individuals thought Portland would commerce that choose for a veteran final yr, and it didn’t occur.
The large situation with the Blazers proper now could be that they aren’t one transfer away from being a contender. Even when Portland trades the No. 3 choose for Bridges or Brown, it feels just like the crew would nonetheless want a greater massive man than Jusuf Nurkic to actually compete within the West. Does it actually make sense to cross up on an incredible younger prospect like Scoot Henderson or Amen Thompson to appease a 33-year-old level guard?
If the Blazers hold the choose and choice Henderson or Thompson — each level guards — it isn’t onerous to ascertain a state of affairs the place Lillard asks for a commerce late on this offseason. Personally, it doesn’t appear to be Miami has the belongings to tug off a commerce like that except Adebayo is included, however I’d by no means rely out Pat Riley. One factor is for certain: that is going to be one other wild NBA summer time.
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