Talk to sources around the league about how the Damian Lillard trade situation will play out and there is no consensus, except for one thing:
Make yourself comfortable, we’re going to be here a while.
Things can move fast in the NBA once the basic framework of a deal is in place, but a Lillard trade is so far away from that framework that we very likely will be past the first weekend of Las Vegas for Summer League before a deal gets done, league sources told NBC Sports (Las Vegas Summer League starts Friday, July 7). The idea that this drags out beyond Summer League is not ridiculous. This will end up a complex three- or four-team trade that takes time to put together and is not close right now.
As for where Lillard lands, he continues to push for Miami as his only destination of choice. His agent, Aaron Goodwin, told other teams interested in Lillard they would get “an unhappy player” if they traded for him, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. (Even if it’s hard for most of us to picture Lillard complaining, and being temperamental and disruptive as other superstars have been.) That same report says Blazers GM Joe Cronin wants to get the best trade package for his team, whether that lands Lillard in Miami or not.
Miami’s trade package to Portland — three first-round picks (they can get there by adjusting the protections on a pick owed OKC), Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson (or a combination of other veterans to make the math work), young players such as Nikola Jovic or Jaime Jaquez Jr. — is not as bad as some make it out to be, but Portland wants more. Ideally more picks, but most importantly to get off Herro and his contract, which the Blazers do not want. That’s where the third team comes in, and Marc Spears of ESPN’s Andscape says plenty of teams want in that mix.
Teams would give up a “good first-round pick” to facilitate a Lillard trade to Miami, Wojnarowski reports.
Not on Lillard’s list: the Boston Celtics. However, they have some interest in Lillard as an organization according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, and ESPN’s Spears said he heard Jayson Tatum is recruiting Lillard to Boston. Zach Lowe suggested on his podcast that Boston could offer Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and multiple first-round draft picks in exchange for Lillard. It’s a long shot where Boston’s ownership would have to okay blasting through the luxury tax’s second apron, but nothing should be off the table at this point.
One thing to remember with Lillard rumors — he gets old and expensive over the course of his contract. Lillard is owed $216.2 million over four years, up until age 36, and that last season he makes $63.2 million. As Lowe notes, the idea that the Spurs are going to put a 36-year-old Lillard making that much next to Victor Wembanyama — a player on a completely different timeline — and throw an anchor in their team building with that contract is ludicrous. That’s not how the Spurs have ever done anything. Same with a few of the other suggested landing spots.
Maybe, Lillard eventually opens the door beyond Miami, but that has not happened yet.
Which is one reason to get comfortable. We’re going to be here a while.
