Does this trade make sense for the Portland Trail Blazers?
Damian Lillard trade rumors have been swirling around the NBA for the last month or so now and while we do not really know what is true and what is fake, we do know that Lillard wants to win. He has said numerous times that he wants to win in Portland and build a championship contender there, but how much of an opportunity does this franchise really have?
With teams like the Suns, Jazz and even the Nuggets surpassing the Trail Blazers now and other solidified contenders in the Clippers, Lakers and Warriors, does Portland really have a chance to contend for a title with just Lillard and McCollum? The answer is clearly no and if the Blazers are unable to bring in a third star talent to pair with their two backcourt stars, then this may be the end of the road for Dame in Portland.
The competitiveness and the drive to succeed for the best players in the league is so high, which is why a lot of them jump ship and form these “superteams” we are seeing pop up around the league. The Nets have a “Big 3,” the Lakers have LeBron and Davis and even the Bucks have their own version of a “superteam” with Giannis, Holiday and Middleton.
Portland obviously does not want to trade Damian Lillard, but if he wants out, they will have to grant him his wish. Lillard literally cannot do anything more in his current position with the Trail Blazers to help them contend for a championship, which is why his best chance to win a ring is elsewhere in the league.
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Trading Lillard to the Warriors is not very beneficial to the Blazers since they will play against him numerous times a season, but the assets they would get from Golden State are very valuable. James Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins are two young talents who can contribute immediately and the Blazers would also get three first-round picks, one of which is the 7th pick in this year’s draft.
Whether or not they would keep McCollum after trading Lillard is a whole other story, but nonetheless, the Portland Trail Blazers would have everything they need to build a strong team for future success. Maybe they could finesse another first-round pick or some pick swaps with the Warriors, but at the end of the day, the Warriors probably do have some of the best assets out of any other team in the league in regards to a potential trade for Damian Lillard.
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The clock is ticking for both the Blazers and right now, it is clear to see that they are not a championship contender. Unless they add a third star to this team, they might as well trade Damian Lillard because not only is his value higher than pretty much anybody in the league right now, but they are going to waste the best years of his career.
Damian Lillard wants to win now and the best chance for him to do so is somewhere else other than Portland. This trade with the Warriors gives the Blazers all the assets they need to move forward and “start over,” which is why this trade could actually make sense for them.
