- Heat, Blazers still far apart on Lillard trade talks
- Orlando Magic have ‘made themselves heard’ in the sweepstakes
- Lillard, Paolo, and Wagner would be a dangerous trio in the NBA
With just a few weeks to go before the start of training camp, it’s not surprising that trade talks have been heating up for Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. So far, GM Joe Cronin has turned down any offers coming his way and the Miami Heat have shown little motivation to fork up the assets required to get the deal done.
Now, new teams are beginning to enter the fold and the Orlando Magic have been identified as a major wild card in this process. “By all accounts, the Raptors seem at least reasonably confident they can maneuver their way to the front of the line, past the Miami Heat and ahead of a team such as the Brooklyn Nets,” wrote Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. “The Orlando Magic could also make themselves heard, per sources.”
The Heat have been the frontrunners for Lillard since he first made it known that he wanted to play there, but without the proper assets to entice the Blazers, Miami will struggle to secure a trade for the 7x All-Star. Lillard, who still has four years left remaining on his contract, is still among the best players in the game and is coming off the best season of his career with averages of 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on 46.3% shooting. If the young and rising Magic can somehow secure Lillard without giving up their core group of stars, it could drastically shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic Can Build A Superteam
With a potential big three of Paolo Banchero, Damian Lillard, and Franz Wagner, the Magic would have one of the best star trios in the entire NBA. Last season, without Lillard, Orlando showed a lot of promise with a 34-48 record but it was clear they lacked a veteran leader to show them the ropes.
At 33 years old, Damian doesn’t quite fit the same timeline as Paolo and the other young players but his shooting, playmaking, and leadership could get the franchise to the next level in terms of being competitive year after year. If they play it right, the Magic could become a true force in the league on par with some of the top teams in the game. The question is, what price would the Magic be willing to pay for Lillard given he has no desire to move there?
A package of Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz, and other assets will be necessary to even begin negotiations but it’s a risk for the Magic to give up so much knowing that Lillard will ask for a trade again the first chance he gets.
Lillard Will Repeat His Trade Demand If Traded Outside Miami
Damian Lillard himself is the biggest unknown in this whole ordeal. Over the past few months, Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, have been very vocal about their feelings toward being sent to a non-Miami team. If shipped to the Magic, Lillard might even decide not to suit up for them this season.
“Expect Portland and Miami to re-engage before the start of training camp that’s coming up in the next two and a half weeks,” reported Shams Charania. “Really, at this point, I’m told that the only two training camps that Damian Lillard would report to, in theory: Portland and Miami.”
It remains to be seen how serious the Orlando Magic are about potentially trading for Lillard but they are a team that has the assets to make something happen. As the days and weeks roll on, and Lillard remains with the Blazers, it becomes more and more likely that a team other than the Heat will decide to step up and take a risk.
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