In the wake of Damian Lillard requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, one NBA writer is proposing that the Oklahoma City Thunder acquire the seven-time All-Star.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade for the Thunder to acquire Lillard. OKC would have a new Big 3 of Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren with this trade.
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Dāvis Bertāns, Ousmane Dieng, Keldon Johnson, 2024 first-round pick (most favorable of Houston, L.A. Clippers, Oklahoma City or Utah; via OKC), Chicago’s 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protection; via San Antonio), Houston’s 2026 first-round pick (top-four protection; via OKC)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Damian Lillard
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Josh Giddey, Victor Oladipo
The Thunder would be taking a major risk here since Lillard only wants to get traded to the Miami Heat. However, since Lillard is under contract, he would have to play for OKC to avoid fines, right? Maybe not.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
According to Mark Medina of Sportsnaut, if the Blazers trade Lillard to a team that isn’t the Heat, the point guard “wouldn’t report.” Lillard has demanded that the Blazers trade him to the Heat, who have Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, two players who want Dame in Miami.
“He just wouldn’t go,” a person familiar with Lillard’s thinking told Sportsnaut. “He just wouldn’t report.”
Lillard signed a two-year, $121.7 million extension with the Blazers in July 2022. He averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season while shooting 46.3% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 91.4% from the free-throw line. Lillard is the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
“I don’t think the other team would trade for him knowing that he doesn’t want to be there,” the person familiar with Lillard’s thinking told Sportsnaut. “He’s a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer so they should respect his wishes.”
It would be strange to see Lillard on the Thunder. Everyone in the NBA expects the Blazers to trade the Weber State product to the Heat. However, Favale thinks OKC should take a gamble.
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