One NBA insider thinks the Oklahoma City Thunder will try to acquire Damian Lillard if the star point guard is still on the Portland Trail Blazers in January. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated predicted that the Thunder would make a run at Lillard if they are one of the better teams in the West in January.
“I believe I’m going to call this an educated opinion that if Dame is still on that Blazers roster in January and if OKC is overachieving, if they’re playing really well, don’t be surprised if they go out and make a run at Lillard,” Mannix said on the “Crossover NBA Podcast,” via Ross Lovelace of FanNation.
The Thunder would be taking a major risk 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 NBA insider Mark Medina of Sportsnaut, if the Blazers trade Lillard to a team that isn’t the Heat, the All-Star “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.
“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.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
It would be strange to see Lillard on the Thunder. Everyone in the NBA expects the Blazers to eventually trade the Weber State product to the Heat. However, Mannix thinks OKC should take a gamble around January if Lillard is still in Portland.
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