Damian Lillard has been the talk of the NBA offseason with rumors running rampant that he could end up being traded by the Portland Trail Blazers. While no move has been made, the rumors have continued to persist after the Blazers decided to take Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. One intriguing team that has been listed as a potential destination is the Brooklyn Nets.
Obviously, the main landing spot that everyone talks about when it comes to Lillard is the Miami Heat. However, the Nets could actually make even more sense for Lillard.
Brooklyn is coming off of a season that saw them blow up their core. They traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks and then moved Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.
NBA RUMORS & NEWS: Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, & Damian Lillard Updates
Mikal Bridges is the player they are currently building around and Lillard is close with Bridges. That connection makes this fit even more appealing and possible.
ESPN recently took a look at the Nets potentially trading for Lillard. In a recent article, they projected a potential trade between the Nets and Trail Blazers involving the superstar guard.
Nets Receive: Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic
Trail Blazers Receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, Nicolas Claxton, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris, 2025 First-Round Pick via Phoenix, 2027 First-Round Pick via Phoenix, 2029 First-Round Pick via Phoenix
Clearly, this would be a blockbuster trade that would shake the entire foundation of the NBA. The Nets would immediately need to search for more depth additions, which would be much easier to find with the presence of a superstar like Lillard. As for the Trail Blazers, they would get plenty of great pieces to help them rebuild around Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe.
NBA RUMORS & NEWS: Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, & Damian Lillard Updates
There is no guarantee that Damian Lillard will end up being traded this offseason. The Trail Blazers clearly would prefer to keep their franchise face around if possible. At this point in time, the ball is truly in Lillard’s court to force his way out of Portland if he chooses to do so.
Expect to continue hearing an onslaught of rumors surrounding the Trail Blazers and Lillard. If they do officially make him available for trade, the Nets are likely going to be right at the front of the line in trade discussions, along with the Heat.
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