Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is one of the NBA superstars who are frequently mentioned in various trade speculations. The Trail Blazers may have said on numerous occasions that they don't have any plan of trading Lillard and undergoing a full-scale rebuild but with their inability to build a title-contending team around him, most people believe that it would only be a matter of time before he follows in the footsteps of other superstars and finds his way out of Portland.
Damian Lillard To LA Lakers
One of the most intriguing landing spots for Lillard before the 2022 NBA trade deadline is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers' interest in Lillard has been one of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA. Before they traded for Russell Westbrook, Lillard was among the players that the Lakers were dreaming of pairing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Lillard revealed that he had a meeting with James and Davis during the 2021 NBA offseason.
Though he didn't consider the meeting as a recruiting presentation, Lillard said that they talked about his potential departure from Portland and three of them playing together in one team.
Proposed Four-Team Blockbuster Trade
After the Trail Blazers sent CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans, rumors linking Lillard to the Lakers have started to heat up. On Twitter, Harrison Feigen of SB Nation's Silver Screen and Roll came up with a four-team blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Lakers to acquire Lillard from the Trail Blazers before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Lakers would get Lillard, the Trail Blazers would receive Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, and a 2023 second-round pick, the Philadelphia 76ers would obtain James Harden, and the Brooklyn Nets would land Westbrook.
Damian Lillard Boosts Lakers' Championship Odds
The proposed four-team blockbuster deal would be a no-brainer for the Lakers as it would allow them to replace Westbrook with another All-Star point guard who is a much better on-court fit with James and Davis. Lillard may have struggled earlier in the 2021-22 NBA season but compared to Westbrook, he's a more efficient three-point shooter. Sharing the floor with a legitimate three-point threat like Lillard would make it easier for James and David to penetrate the basket or kick the ball out when they are trapped by the opposing team's defense.
It would still take time for Lillard, James, and Davis to find the perfect chemistry but once they mesh well on the court, the Lakers would undoubtedly have a better chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season.
Does The Trade Make Sense For Sixers, Nets & Blazers?
This would also be a no-brainer deal for the Sixers as it would enable them to swap Simmons for Harden without the need to sacrifice Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle. Harden would form the perfect pairing with Joel Embiid in the City of Brotherly Love, giving them another superstar who is capable of knocking down shots from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, acquiring Simmons would also make sense for the Trail Blazers, especially if they want to undergo a full-scale rebuild. Simmons may still have some major flaws in his game, but his superstar potential is undeniable. If they are serious about making the trade, they could ask for more future draft compensations from the Lakers.
For the Nets, it would definitely be intriguing to see Westbrook reuniting with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. However, unless they would also be compensated with more assets, it remains a big question mark if the Nets would consider trading Harden for an obvious downgrade in their backcourt.
]]>The Inquisitr
