The trade market is going to be buzzing about Damian Lillard until we finally know the direction the Portland Trail Blazers are going in with regard to either rebuilding or re-tooling.
Lillard openly discussed how he’d like to join the Miami Heat based on a question a reporter asked. He’s upset at how his quote was misinterpreted and said that he expects the Blazers not to trade him over the summer.
“About the podcast I did, I keep seeing this clip about Miami and everything. If y’all watched the whole interview, you’ll see he asked me about specific teams and I just answered the question. When people just answer questions honestly, y’all take it and run with it. I was answering the question bruh. At the end of that same interview, he asked me ‘do you think you will be in a Trail Blazer uniform in October’ and I said yes I do.”
Damian Lillard: "At the end of that same interview, he asked me ‘do you think you will be in a Trail Blazer uniform in October’ and I said yes I do." pic.twitter.com/QVNT0CNd7n
— League Alerts (@LeagueAlerts) June 9, 2023
The Blazers are coming off consecutive missed playoff appearances. They missed in 2021-22 due to a Lillard abdominal injury sidelining him for most of the season, with the team anticipating it to be a one-year stop-gap.
This season, Lillard played 58 games and averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds, but the team was not competitive at all. They started tanking in February and were rewarded with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Trade The Pick Or Trade Damian Lillard?
The Blazers are expected to have the opportunity to either draft Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson at No. 3, depending on what the Charlotte Hornets pick at 2. Miller is considered to be the prototypical NBA two-way forward and is likely to go to Charlotte. Henderson is being projected to be a generational guard who’s being compared to Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook with All-Defense potential.
The Blazers can easily rebuild with the pick and have a strong chance at rebuilding a contending squad with their young assets. Or, they can trade all these assets away for one or two genuine co-stars next to Dame.
Lillard has dismissed the Boston Celtics as a team he’d want to go to, so he may just be staying with the team this summer. He can reportedly pick any East team to go to, and the Blazers would try to land him there. It’ll be fascinating to see if the Blazers trade No. 3 away before draft night or pick a player and choose a direction midseason.
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