According to an NBA insider, four teams not named the Heat or Nets have looked into trading for Damian Lillard. Who are these teams?
According to Chris Haynes, the Boston Celtics, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in trading for Damian Lillard. The Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets have been thought to be the primary interested destinations for Lillard. The Nets are a team that could be involved as a third team in a potential deal between the Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Heat are a major favorite to trade for the superstar due to the fact that Lillard and Miami are heavily motivated to get together. Still, it has been clear that the Blazers will end up doing what is right for the squad, not Lillard. With that in mind, Portland has been searching for other trade candidates.
Which of the non-Heat or Nets teams thought to be interested in Damian Lillard trade work best?
Very quickly, the Celtics are out of this discussion due to the fact that Damian Lillard does not want to be traded to Boston. Lillard does not have a no-trade clause and is on a long-term deal but one could be assumed that the Trail Blazers would not do that much of a disservice to their best player in franchise history.
The Pelicans are missing $20 million in moveable salary if they do not want to give up Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram in a possible deal. Additionally, anyone with the slightest basketball mind would know the structural limitations of a Lillard and CJ McCollum starting duo. The two other teams in this report who are interested in Damian Lillard might have an actual basketball-related reason to trade for the All-NBA player.
The Clippers may be nearing the end of their All-NBA duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard as both of these players have player options coming up next offseason. LA might not even bring them back together after next season due to the fact that they are both injury prone. If this is the last run for their squad, it might make sense for them to go out with a bang.
The Clippers have a host of expiring contracts to help facilitate a deal. This includes Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum who could be all combined to get enough matching salary for a trade. They could also take back Jusuf Nurkic. It would be challenging but they could get it done if they are able to find a third team.
Of these options, the Timberwolves are probably the most likely team to end up trading for Lillard. Minnesota really messed up trading a haul of first-round picks for Rudy Gobert. Due to that trade last offseason, analysts have wondered if the Timberwolves will end up trading Karl-Anthony Towns to make sure Anthony Edwards stays with the squad long-term.
With that in mind, the squad might end up trading KAT for Lillard. Presumably, this would be a deal where a lot of draft picks do not change hands. The Trail Blazers would be facing a major defensive challenge if they were to get Towns in a trade. Still, they would be a squad that might score enough points to get into the playoffs.