Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal

There is undeniably a lot of risk for the Blazers here. 

Trading two first-round picks for a 33-year-old is never the safe play. Moreover, with Lillard himself being 32, the Blazers will suddenly be old, and with a minimal amount of draft capital. 

Regardless, the Blazers seem intent on avoiding a rebuild. Had they wanted to, they could have traded Lillard for a bundle of young players and first-round picks years ago. Now that his value has likely declined, they might as well get him some help. 

Portland doesn’t have to rush to do this deal. In fact, they can’t – Nurkic isn’t even able to be traded until January 15th, having been extended this summer. The Blazers can see where they stand until then.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls & Portland Trail Blazers Updates

If they’re underperforming, who knows? Trading Lillard could look more attractive than acquiring DeRozan. On the other hand, if the team is rolling, they may look to make upgrades. 

After all, the last thing they want to do is pass on an opportunity.