Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G Donovan Mitchell, F Juancho Hernangomez
Utah Jazz Receive: G Damian Lillard, 2025 First-Round Pick (POR), 2027 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected – POR)
Dare we even suggest this trade? Too late. We already have.
This isn’t a scenario we’d expect to see this summer. It’s still justifiable. For starters, neither of these teams is known for extended rebuilding processes. That’s typical of small-market clubs. This trade allows both to stay competitive in 2022-23.
It’s easy to justify from Portland’s end. They’re flipping their 31-year-old star for a 25-year-old one. The real questions revolve around whether Utah would actually entertain this deal.
They might. They’re getting two first-round picks and a star player. Granted, Lillard may be in decline, but a group featuring him, Rudy Gobert, and a strong supporting cast could be dangerous in 2022-23. If the Jazz add a couple of perimeter defenders, they could even improve on their 2021-22 season.
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On the other hand, the Jazz may deem this a lateral move at best. In the event that they insist on pairing Lillard with Mitchell in their backcourt, the next blockbuster made be more appealing to them.
