It’s been one of the most intriguing ongoing storylines of the NBA offseason: will Damian Lillard request a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers? After years of loyalty and clutch shots being undercut by bad front office decisions and early playoff exits, there have been rumblings that the recently-anointed Olympic Gold Medalist may request a trade before the new season kicks off this fall.
As is always the case, when a team with a perennial All-Star like Lillard fails to make major waves, rumors emerge. An extremely messy offseason hasn’t helped matters. After parting ways with longtime Head Coach Terry Stotts, the Blazers went through an interview process mired in controversy before selecting former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups.
The organization came under fire for this process, where it became highly publicized that there are very serious allegations about Billups’ past. Lillard publicly endorsed Billups at the beginning of the hiring process and then caught some backlash after the allegations came to light. He even got into arguments with some fans on social media where he confirmed that he had no knowledge of the incident involving Billups.
All of this has led to a silly season of speculation with rumors abound about what will happen next. PointsBet has even begun offering odds on Lillard’s next team if he is traded. They list the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers as Dame’s two most likely destinations.
New York Knicks After a surprising playoff run fueled by Julius Randle’s ascension to stardom, the New York Knicks may be looking to bring a genuine superstar to the Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are always rumored as a preferred destination for star players but after their success last season, it might actually be true this time.
While former All-Stars Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose are slated to be the primary ball handlers, the Knicks would no doubt choose to upgrade to Lillard if they can. Even though Walker was only just signed this offseason, New York’s front office won’t be able to resist bringing Dame into the fold.
A potential trade package from New York would have to include some of their young talent. RJ Barrett would no doubt be the centerpiece, with Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin. Recently-signed veteran role players Evan Fournier and Nerlens Noel are also on very team-friendly, tradeable contracts that could be used to make up the salary difference.
A combination of some of these assets – along with draft picks – could lead to Dame Time in the Garden and the New York Knickerbockers being legit Eastern Conference contenders for the first time in a while.
Philadelphia 76ers After a shocking playoff exit at the hands of Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks, it has become clear that the Sixers’ hopes of building around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will probably not lead to a parade down Broad Street. With Embiid being an MVP contender this year, Simmons has widely been viewed as trade bait.
With Simmons on the block, it seems like an obvious move to include him in a trade package for a star like Lillard. Despite his offensive deficiencies and disastrous playoffs, Simmons is still a defensive force and athletic marvel. He was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year last season and has made the All-Star team 3 straight seasons.
With Lillard and Simmons both seemingly needing a change of scenery, would a swap make sense? Philadelphia would almost certainly have to send Tyrese Maxey and a few draft picks to Portland for the Trail Blazers to seriously consider the offer, but it is intriguing nonetheless.
Portland Trail Blazers Of course, this is still the most likely scenario for Lillard to start the season. Despite his public misgivings about some organizational decisions, he has yet to request a trade. Portland’s front office seems determined to make things work with their star, so it is unlikely a trade will be made without Lillard forcing general manager Neil Olshey’s hand.
It is a long season though, and a bumpy start to the Billups era could entice Lillard to seek an exit before the midseason trade deadline.
It is no doubt an incredibly interesting storyline to follow for the upcoming season. SportsbooksOnline.com has reviews of tons of great sports betting sites if you want to make things even more interesting. With the shadow of Lillard hanging over the offseason, wherever the superstar ends up will impact the championship odds for the upcoming 2021-22 NBA season.
