Rival NBA Executives Believe The Portland Trail Blazers Will ‘Dangle’ The No. 7 Pick In Trade Talks To Maximize Damian Lillard’s Prime

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Credit: A Royal Pain

Amid another disappointing and underwhelming season, the Portland Trail Blazers made a series of moves at the deadline that shipped many of their starters out of town.

This summer, the team will be working hard to re-shape and re-tool the roster around Damian Lillard, and the No. 7 overall pick could be the key to getting a high-impact player.

Executives around the league believe trading that pick is part of Portland’s ultimate plan.

(via HoopsHype):

Rival NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe the Trail Blazers will dangle the No. 7 overall pick in trade talks for an immediate roster upgrade to maximize the prime of Damian Lillard, who was on hand for a workout with a projected lottery pick, AJ Griffin.

With Lillard now 31, the pressure is on the Blazers to build a contender around him. If they really want to make some noise next season, they’ll have to bring in another star — and a few have already been exposed as potential targets.

“Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine are potential targets, according to sources. Lillard befriended Beal through their experience with Team USA, and the Wizards star has a player option for next season. So he could make his way to Portland either as a free agent or via trade. Though Beal and LaVine present some similar defensive issues as CJ McCollum did next to Lillard, either of them would undeniably make the Blazers better with their shot-creation.”

No matter what Portland does over the next few months, it is imperative they bring Lillard some much-needed help. With CJ gone, there is no co-star on the team, which means the front office will have to go out and find one.

And while the No. 7 pick is not where Portland wanted to be in the draft, it might still help them get better as a team and finally become a force to be feared in the wild Western Conference.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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