- A potential three-team trade involving stars and lottery picks could be in the works
- Phoenix Suns could offer Deandre Ayton as the prize for Portland
- The best chance for the Miami Heat to land Damian Lillard
The summer of 2023 has been pretty quiet so far. Aside from a few teams dealing with unhappy players, things have been at a standstill with just over a month to go before the new season. Pretty soon, however, something big is going to happen.
Speaking on Arizona Sports 98.7, league insider John Gambodoro revealed that the blockbuster trade we’ve been waiting all summer for is “imminent” and that it could happen within 24 hours. “Damian Lillard is going to get traded very soon, he said. “I would even say probably within the next 24 hours… I am expecting a Damian Lillard trade.”
It’s no secret that the Lillard trade has been stalled for weeks now and both sides appear to be at a stalemate with the new NBA season right around the corner. Most fans and experts agree that Lillard will likely start the season in Portland, but this latest update has people questioning how things will play out.
Unlike other Lillard reports, Gambodoro revealed a potential third team that could be involved in the trade: the Phoenix Suns. “If Nurkic was on the table I would be surprised if the Suns didn’t look into it because an argument could be made that is an upgrade for Phx,” wrote Gambo. “Portland has previously shown no interest in Deandre Ayton but that was with Dame staying. If they do not have Dame on the roster they could very well want a young 25-year-old to build around Vogel needs a defensive-minded Center to build his defense around and Nurkic does fit that mold. This would be contingent on a Lillard trade and I do expect that to happen very very soon.”
Phoenix Suns Could Make Big Change At Center
The Suns are a team that nobody expected to see in trade talks this late into the summer, but it’s no secret that they’ve been looking for an upgrade from Deandre Ayton. The former no. 1 overall pick did well last season with a scoring average of 18 points through 67 games, but he leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to effort level, focus, and defensive intensity. As talented as he is, Ayton is a victim of inconsistency and the Suns need someone more reliable in the middle if they want the best chance to win.
Jusuf Nurkic is far from the ideal option for Phoenix, but his experience, size, and lack of need for the ball might make him a better fit alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, who got the Suns to the Western Semi-Finals in 2023. The question is, would he be able to stay healthy given his long and extensive history of injuries? That much remains to be seen, but it seems obvious that Phoenix hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of trading him.
What Is The Holdup In Portland?
Blazers GM Joe Cronin has never been one to rush important decisions, and he’s making no attempt to rush this Damian Lillard trade saga. As the best player in franchise history, it falls on Cronin to get the best possible deal that he can for Lillard, and so far, there haven’t been many offers. The best hope for securing a trade is, and always has been, finding a third team to incorporate into the deal.
With Ayton, the Suns could be the tram that finally sets things in motion. With a combination of assets from both Phoenix and Miami, the Blazers could finally move on from this ordeal and start their next chapter with a young core of Ayton, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons.
Only time will tell if this deal is really imminent: as some are saying, but it’s been pretty quiet around the league lately and it seems like only a matter of time before something breaks.
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