Damian Lillard
The foreseeable future for the Portland Trail Blazers could very well be determined in the first few weeks of the 2021-22 season. If the Blazers look like a new and improved team under head coach Chauncey Billups, it will ease a lot of concerns.
Portland has lost in the first round of the playoffs in four out of the last five years, which was part of the reasons Terry Stotts was removed as head coach. Their defense was abysmal last season, as they had the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA.
They have an explosive offense, but it goes for naught if your defense is as poor as the offense is good. If there aren’t improvements made, expect the Damian Lillard trade chatter to get louder and louder.
Portland’s easiest route to shaking up the roster is trading C.J. McCollum. He could help them balance out the roster, moving Norman Powell to the backcourt in his place. But, it could be Lillard who requests a trade if the team starts off losing out of the gate.
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There are plenty of teams that would be interested in Damian Lillard. The Philadelphia 76ers have made it rather clear Lillard is who they want to pair with Joel Embiid. The New York Knicks are in a great position to land a transcendent star via trade.
But, the team that will push hardest to acquire Lillard should a request come is the New Orleans Pelicans. They need to make a splash to convince Zion Williamson they are committed to winning. A deal may cost them Brandon Ingram, but that kind of star power is something David Griffin would love to have in the Big Easy.
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A Damian Lillard and Zion Williamson pairing would be a nightmare for opponents to deal with on a nightly basis. That duo should be good enough to help get New Orleans into the playoff picture as well.
