You’ve got to be able to think outside of the box. Everyone may be looking one way. If you can look the other way, you may see something special. This is true for NBA teams as well.
Everyone is expecting Damian Lillard to go to the Miami Heat. His desire to join the team is a poorly kept secret. The Heat’s mutual interest is obvious as well. At this point, everyone is expecting Lillard to take his talents to South Beach.
What if he doesn’t? The Heat don’t have the best package to offer for Lillard. Rival suitors may be scared off by Lillard’s preference for Miami. Still, some teams may be willing to overlook those concerns and think outside of the box. Could the Indiana Pacers be that team?
The Trade Proposal
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Buddy Hield, G T.J. McConnell, F/C Daniel Theis, F/C Jalen Smith, G/F Bennedict Mathurin, 2026 First-Round Pick (IND), 2028 First-Round Pick (IND), 2030 First-Round Pick (IND)
Indiana Pacers Receive: G Damian Lillard
Did Portland fail to think outside of the box with Lillard? It’s possible. One thing is clear: this organization could have done a better job building around Lillard. The Blazers fielded plenty of decent teams around the star point guard, but none had a real chance of winning an NBA title.
Perhaps they overcommitted to his pairing with CJ McCollum. To be sure, the duo was dynamite – on offense. Defensively, the pair of small guards struggled to survive. In the playoffs, their combined lack of size would always be exploited in the end.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Indiana Pacers Updates
The rest is history. Lillard has been in Portland for his entire career, and now, he wants to compete for an NBA title. Meanwhile, the Blazers just drafted Scoot Henderson. It’s time for both parties to move on. Should Indiana help facilitate their divorce?
Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal
Well, the Pacers won’t have the small backcourt problem. Tyrese Haliburton has plus positional size. With that said, they may not be an intuitive fit for everyone. Both Haliburton and Lillard are point guards.
So what? Think outside of the box. Both players are elite shooters. Haliburton has the size to guard off guards. There’s no reason this can’t work. As a matter of fact, it would give Indiana one of the best backcourts in the NBA. With Myles Turner spacing the floor and anchoring the defense, adding Lillard could make the Pacers fringe title contenders.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Indiana Pacers Updates
It’s certainly a risk. The Pacers would need to figure out whether Lillard would actually be willing to come to Indiana. If he was, they’d have to at least consider adding a talent of his stature to their roster. Should Portland send him to Indiana?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
The Blazers should send Lillard to the team that makes them the best offer. They’re not likely to get a better return than this. If nothing else, it’s better than any offer they’re likely to get from Miami.
Realistically, Portland should be shooting for three unprotected first-round picks. Lillard is aging – they won’t get much more than that. This deal checks that box. It also nets the Blazers a quality player that they could flip at the deadline in Buddy Hield.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Indiana Pacers Updates
Otherwise, Mathurin is intriguing here as well. He’s not necessarily an obvious fit on a Portland team that’s stacked with young guards. That’s fine. The Blazers should be stockpiling as much young talent as they can. They can sort the rest out later – it might just require them to think outside of the box.
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