A case for and against the Golden State Warriors making a trade for Damian Lillard
The Golden State Warriors could be in a position to create one of the most-feared backcourts in the NBA by trading for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard during the offseason.
Recent news surrounding the six-time All-Star, it has been suggested that he has raised concerns regarding the team's chances of creating a contending roster for next season. He was also supposedly frustrated with the franchise's hiring of Chauncy Billups as their new head coach.
Despite Lillard being away representing Team USA and that he has not formally requested a trade from the Trail Blazers, the league's rumor mill has been churning out potential trades involving the second-team All-NBA guard. While the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks would be in the running if the suggestion was that he wanted to leave, the Golden State Warriors could arguably offer the best trade package.
Per Anthony Slater of 'The Athletic', the Warriors could put together a deal that would include their first-round picks this year (seventh and 14th), James Wiseman, Andrew Wiggins and future picks.
Although Portland Trail Blazers fans would be gutted to see Damian Lillard leave after nine years, in eight of which they made the playoffs, this trade could help rebuild the squad if they choose to go down that route and press reset. This article will not focus on the deal from Portland's side of things however, but instead focus on the pros and cons of such a move for the Golden State Warriors and their hopes to win another championship.
Should the Golden State Warriors maximize their short-term championship hopes by signing Damian Lillard?
By signing one of the best shooters to ever play the game, the Golden State Warriors trading for Damian Lillard would have immense upside. With Lillard, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, they would be the most threatening long-distance scoring team in the league and could arguably give the Brooklyn Nets' offensive rating a run for their money.
Lillard has a career scoring average of 24.7 points and is coming off back-to-back seasons in which he tallied more than 28.5 per night. Combining that with Curry's 30+ points and Thompson's 20+ makes for frightening reading for opposition defenses. Not only can Lillard find his own shot and often looks for it, his creativity alongside Curry and Draymond Green's passing would be a recipe for offensive productivity beyond belief for the Golden State Warriors.
Attempting to carry the Trail Blazers through to the conference semifinals, Damian Lillard put up a staggering 34 points and dished out 10.2 assists in each of the six games they played against the Denver Nuggets. He knows what it takes to play on the biggest stage and can make clutch shots under pressure.
By bringing in Damian Lillard, the Golden State Warriors will be maximizing their short-term championship potential. Curry, Thompson and Green are all over 31 while Lillard will turn 31 on Thursday.
With their experience and scoring threat, they would inevitably go into the 2021-22 campaign as heavy favorites to come out of the West into the NBA Finals. In pursuit of another title, this trade would also help the Warriors attract savvy veterans on the free agency market who are chasing a chip such as the Nets were able to do this year.
Klay Thompson may feel rushed to return from his ACL injury rehabilitation. However, if the Golden State Warriors were to sign Damian Lillard they would be in good hands to keep a winning record while the forward is sidelined.
Why sacrificing their future for Damian Lillard is not a good idea for the Golden State Warriors
As mentioned above, putting together a deal for Damian Lillard would sacrifice a lot of the Golden State Warriors' long-term structure. Losing James Wiseman would leave them with just Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Eric Paschall as the team's most recognized bigs, all of whom are under 6'10".
Not only would they be undersized in the frontcourt, the Golden State Warriors would have little physical threat from their new-look backcourt duo. All of this amounts to them being defensively fragile.
Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert spring to mind in an NBA where the best big men in the league have dominated proceedings this season which could leave them exposed. Nevertheless, the Warriors did successfully finish fifth in defensive efficiency this year, with Draymond Green being the linchpin, barking out orders constantly. But you would have to worry about a small-ball Warriors lineup being able to grab rebounds and not give up second-chance points.
Aside from creating defensive issues, a trade for Damian Lillard would also put the Golden State Warriors long-term outlook in jeopardy. Although they want to maximize Steph Curry's time with the franchise, that doesn't have to come at the cost of losing what they would have once he leaves or retires. Giving up future talent is a tough line for any organization to tread and the Warriors should do so lightly in their pursuit of more glory.