Damian Lillard rumors: Which teams are best positioned to sign the mercurial point guard?
Damian Lillard is coming off a 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game season. He is an elite point guard, is a stellar shooter and an all-time closer.
While Lillard is currently under contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, the rumor market is buzzing with news that Lillard could be on the move. If Lillard does end up on a different team, it will have to be a trade.
Let's look at the top landing spots for Damian Lillard.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. Over the past few years, they have been very close to winning it all, but haven't quite been able to get it done.
The Heat have several tradeable assets in draft picks and players. Ideally, the Heat should keep the core of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Their trade would have to be built around Tyler Herro and draft picks, as per reports. Lillard has expressed his interest to join the Heat in a hypothetical scenario.
When Lillard was asked to pick which team he would join, he said:
"Miami is the obvious one. And Bam is my dog. Bam is my dog for real. But I mean, I think Miami is the obvious one."
With Heat's struggles all season long to score (30th in the NBA), they could look to add a prominent scorer like Lillard.
Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid is coming off an MVP season where he finally clinched the award after flirting with it over the past few years. However, he has been unable to make a deep playoff run. The 76ers could put together a trade package with Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey and a few draft picks to land Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lillard would fit well alongside Embiid, given that he can create his own shot. Their personalities would also complement each other.
@Dame_Lillard I want him on our roster https://t.co/j8M89Im0SQ
The 76ers would still have a strong team with players like PJ Tucker and Paul Reed along with Embiid and Lillard. This could help them finally defeat the Celtics, Bucks and Heat depending on the matchups. It could be the trade that finally gets Embiid his first ring.
LA Lakers
After falling short in the conference finals to the Nuggets, and with LeBron James hinting at retirement, the LA front office has pressure to upgrade its roster. While it will likely retain players like Austin Reaves, its point guard position might be open with the uncertainty regarding D'Angelo Russell.
LA Lakers made some sizable trades before the trade deadline which turned their season around, but they might still need more help. While the Lakers will reportedly pursue Kyrie Irving, they could also inquire about a trade for Lillard. After all, James has clearly voiced in the past that we would like to play with Lillard.
“Give me Damian Lillard, I’ll show you how appreciated he’ll be.”
-LeBron James on Damian Lillard in 2018 https://t.co/ZmL6MSsifb
This might be the most unlikely scenario on the list, but you can never count out the LA Lakers or LeBron James.
New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson has been in the headlines lately and it's not for basketball reasons. That said, the New Orleans Pelicans have a strong chance at landing Lillard if indeed he does get traded.
The Pelicans have a ton of assets, thanks to the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade. They have several players and picks that they could leverage to lure Portland into a trade. If this does happen, the Pelicans could finally make a deep playoff run. The idea of having Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard on the same team is a scary thought.
Although New Orleans isn't the most ideal destination compared to other places, the X-factor in this trade could be the presence of CJ McCollum on the Pelicans. McCollum and Lillard played together for several years and have seen a fair amount of success and camaraderie together.