Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G John Wall, 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 3 – HOU)
Houston Rockets Receive: G Damian Lillard, 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 7 – POR)
Obviously, the Portland Trail Blazers aren’t doing this deal to acquire John Wall. Even if he has a comeback year after sitting for the entirety of 2021-22, he won’t be nearly on Damian Lillard’s level.
In essence, this deal finds the Blazers trading Lillard for the third overall pick. They’d be moving him for the opportunity to draft one of Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr. or Chet Holmgren.
That’s a fantastic way for an organization to start a rebuild. This deal would find the Blazers swapping their 31-year-old franchise player for a 19-year-old one. If the prospect they choose pans out, they’ll already have the cornerstone of their next competitive team.
At the same time, the Rockets could decline this deal. They may reason that acquiring Lillard is pointless at the cost of their third overall pick.
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After all, adding him to their current core is unlikely to move the needle. If that’s how they feel, the next trade should be more appealing to them.
