The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard seem to be caught up in a staring contest, with one side waiting for the other to blink and make a decision on his future. Lillard seems hesitant to ask out, and the Blazers seem hesitant to trade him without him openly saying he wants out.
The Miami Heat are expected to be the leading contenders in acquiring Lillard, but ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks revealed that the San Antonio Spurs could be a wildcard team to make a move for Lillard.
“What happens a week from now if Portland doesn’t upgrade their roster and Damian Lillard asks out? Would San Antonio dip their toes in the deep end and make a run at Damian Lillard? They’ve got 12 first-round picks, they have a lot of young players, and they have the money to do it. What would Lillard’s response be? This is the team, if Lillard became available, I am putting them as the wildcard.”
In terms of what Portland would want, they would likely love the Spurs package. They’ll almost exclusively get future assets and don’t need to take on massive salaries through a contract dump either.
The Spurs likely send Doug McDermott’s expiring contract in the deal along with a young star or two from their arsenal featuring Mallaki Brahnam, Blake Wesley, Tre Jones, and more. They have draft assets coming out of their ears and could build a package that Miami just can’t beat. They are projected to have the youngest starting lineup in the NBA next season, so adding a veteran like Dame could instantly reshape the franchise.
Would Damian Lillard Want To Play For The Spurs?
Going to the Spurs isn’t necessarily a step up, as the team still has more rebuilding to do. Getting Victor Wembanyama has put some added pressure to start winning soon, but adding just Dame won’t be enough.
Teams like the Heat have more in place for a winning situation right now, so Lillard will likely err on that side. He averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists last season, so whichever team he goes to will instantly be much better.
The Spurs are an interesting option nonetheless. Lillard gets to form an incredible duo with Wembanyama that could yield immediate results. In addition, Dame can be coached by legendary coach Gregg Popovich, someone who coached Dame for Team USA as well.
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