Damian Lillard wants out. Which teams can deliver what he desires: a chance to win the NBA championship?
The Portland Trail Blazers were stuck between a rock and a hard place after using the No. 3 overall pick on Scoot Henderson in last month's NBA Draft. It always felt like a matter of time until Damian Lillard finally asked out.
Now, here we are. Lillard is on his way out the door, with the Miami Heat listed as his preferred destination. But, here's the thing about requesting a trade with four years left on your contract: the market will extend well beyond your preferred destination, and ultimately your team holds all the cards.
Portland will listen to offers from multiple suitors who inquire about the 32-year-old. Lillard is coming off the best individual season of his career, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists on 64.5 TS% — absurd numbers even by today's inflated standards.
Lillard's arrival would transform several teams into contenders, but these five feel like the best destinations if he wants to win the championship.
No. 5 Damian Lillard trade destination: Oklahoma City Thunder
Hear me out!
OKC has more assets than any team in the NBA. Good young players? Check. A bounty of future first-round picks? Double check. The Thunder aren't all that far from competing either, and Lillard could immediately push them into the upper echelon of the Western Conference.
Trading for Lillard doesn't really fit with Sam Presti's patient, organic style of GMing, but it's hard to deny the appeal of Lillard as a bridge from the present to the future. In the short term, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is probably the ideal Lillard co-star — a frequent paint touch playmaker who can help Lillard transition to more off-ball duties as he ages. SGA is also a tremendous defender.
OKC's litany of big, versatile athletes can help cover for Lillard's weaknesses on the defensive end. Let's say the trade is built around Josh Giddey. OKC can still keep Chet Holmgren, a mobile 7-footer with elite rim protection instincts and a silky 3-point stroke. Jalen Williams was Rookie of the Year runner-up. Lu Dort made the All-Defense team. Cason Wallace, the reigning No. 10 pick, could follow in Dort's footsteps.
The Thunder are loaded with quality depth at every position and genuine star power. Lillard immediately puts OKC on the contending map. This is way outside the box, but hey — not many teams can match OKC's best offer if the Thunder decide to get aggressive.
No. 4 Damain Lillard trade destination: Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are expected to pursue Lillard. What can Los Angeles offer beyond a couple picks and B-tier prospects? Not much, but remember: Lillard's preferred destination is Miami, so the Clippers might not have to win the world's toughest bidding war.
On paper, the appeal for Lillard should be obvious: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are bonafide top-15 players at full health. The at full health bit is an important qualifier, but few teams can match LA's ceiling when all the pieces are actually on the court. Lillard would increase the odds of LA having at least a couple operational stars when the playoffs roll around.
Lillard and Kawhi aren't the cleanest fit, but you're nitpicking at that point. Leonard has progressed significantly as a passer and he's certainly comfortable spotting up on the perimeter and attacking closeouts when necessary. The Clippers would be able to toggle between Lillard and Leonard attacking the middle of the floor while PG13 patrols the wings as a super-charged third option.
Los Angeles has more depth than most expensive contenders due to a clever front office. A lot of that would probably be out the window in a Dame trade, but the Clippers should have enough bodies to build a credible team around the Lillard-Leonard-George trio. Plus, not many coaches can get more out of a janky second unit than Ty Lue.
No. 3 Damian Lillard trade destination: Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are still trying to figure out how to build a contender around Joel Embiid. Nothing seems to work — he's either unhealthy or ineffective every time Philly advances to the second round, and his primary co-stars of late aren't doing the trick.
Now James Harden is asking out, leaving the Sixers in a compromised position. What better way to solve the Harden conundrum than with another, arguably superior star guard in the form of Damian Lillard. He would certainly re-establish Philadelphia as a title threat in the East.
Lillard's deadly pull-up shooting and playmaking out of pick-and-rolls would pair nicely with Embiid, who has gotten quite comfortable operating as a screener with Harden. Defenses would have headaches splitting their attention between Embiid's prolific mid-range skill set and Lillard's deep three-point gravity. Harden and Ben Simmons were both great playmakers; Harden demanded a fair amount of attention as a scorer too. But neither really compares to the constant scoring threat Lillard presents.
Philadelphia has struggled to get over the hump and the second unit has taken considerable losses in free agency, but why wouldn't Lillard feel good about his chances next to a top-5 player and reigning MVP in Embiid? New head coach Nick Nurse should be viewed favorably by Lillard in this scenario too.
No. 2 Damian Lillard trade destination: Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics would have to center this trade on Jaylen Brown, who's due for a big extension in the near future. Brown struggled mightily during Boston's conference finals loss to Miami. While the Celtics would be wise to not overreact and mortgage their future — Brown remains a perennial All-Star with room to grow — it's Damian freakin' Lillard we're talking about here.
The talent upgrade is sizable. Lillard is a borderline Tier 1 superstar at full strength. His pull-up shooting and playmaking would completely transform the offense next to Jayson Tatum. Replacing Brown's errant decision-making and complete dearth of self-creation with Lillard's dynamism would instantly make Boston the favorite in the East.
If the Celtics can center the package on Brown, that also means Boston can keep most of its depth pieces. Derrick White is the perfect backcourt running mate for Lillard — a big and rangy defender who can reliably hit threes. Kristaps Porzingis and Rob Williams profile as the most fearsome defensive frontcourt in the East. Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon are well above-average depth pieces.
Boston hasn't been mentioned as a potential suitor for Lillard and there's no reporting on Lillard's interest in the Celtics, but crazier things have happened. Boston has never shied away from big moves and Lillard absolutely increases their chances of competing for that elusive 17th banner.
No. 1 Damian Lillard trade destination: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are the reigning Eastern Conference champs. They're also Lillard's explicitly preferred destination, which counts for something when Lillard can leverage the power of public perception through the media.
Miami was gentleman swept out of the Finals by Denver. It felt like the Heat were still a piece or two away — a plucky No. 8 seed that had extended beyond its actual abilities. Well, Lillard can be more than a 'piece' in the puzzle. He would instantly become Miami's best player, infusing Erik Spoelstra's offense with three-point shooting and halfcourt playmaking that was sorely lacking during a disappointing 44-win season.
#HeatCulture is probably overstated, but then again, Miami does find ways to overcome annual adversity more than any other franchise. The Heat were an average team at best last season and still scrapped together a Finals run. Lillard can paper over flaws in the halfcourt offense while taking a massive burden off of Jimmy Butler's shoulders (and vice versa) as the two stars age.
No team can better hide small guards on defense. No team can better maximize a mismatched and thin second unit. The Heat would have to strip their bare asset collection dry to acquire Lillard, but it would probably be worth it considering Lillard's talent and the Heat's ability to regularly attract stars, regardless of team circumstance.