Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is expected to be one of the hottest commodities on the trade market in the 2022 NBA offseason. The Trail Blazers may have said countless times that they have no intention of trading Lillard and undergoing a full-scale rebuild but if they fail to build a title contender around him, most people believe that the All-Star point guard may consider following in the footsteps of other superstars and start finding his way out of Portland this summer.
Once he becomes officially available on the trading block, several teams that are in dire need of a backcourt boost and additional star power are expected to express a strong interest in adding Lillard to their roster.
Proposed Four-Team Trade
One of the most intriguing landing spots for Lillard is the Los Angeles Lakers. In a recent article, Aikansh Chaudhary of Fadeaway World discussed a hypothetical blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Lakers to acquire Lillard from the Trail Blazers this summer. The suggested deal won't only involve the Lakers and the Trail Blazers, but also the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the proposed four-team trade, the Lakers would get Lillard, the Trail Blazers would receive Russell Westbrook, Jonathan Kuminga, and a 2022 first-round pick, the Warriors would obtain LeBron James, and the Thunder would land Andrew Wiggins.
Lakers Pair Damian Lillard With Anthony Davis
Trading James to acquire Lillard would make sense for the Lakers, especially if they fail to convince LeBron to sign a contract extension this summer. Instead of taking the risk of losing him in the summer of 2023 as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return, the potential trade would enable him to swap James' expiring contract for Lillard. When both superstars are 100 percent healthy, the tandem of Lillard and Anthony Davis would help the Lakers remain competitive in the Western Conference in the 2022-23 NBA season.
LeBron James Teams Up With Stephen Curry
If James decides to part ways with the Lakers, the Warriors would be among his preferred destinations. It wasn't a long time ago when James said that he wants to team up with Warriors point guard Stephen Curry. Being traded to the Warriors won't only grant his wish, but it would also give him a realistic chance of winning multiple NBA championship titles before he permanently ends of his NBA career.
Though it would cost them a young and promising player like Kuminga, the Warriors won't definitely think twice before swapping Wiggins for James. At 37, James is still one of the best active players in the NBA. Adding a player of James' caliber to their core would make the Warriors a tougher team to face in a best-of-seven series.
Why The Thunder & The Trail Blazers Would Make The Trade
Participating in the four-team blockbuster trade would make sense for the Thunder if they are already planning to become competitive next season. Wiggins would give the Thunder a young All-Star who could lessen the burden on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's shoulders on the offensive end of the floor. The Thunder won't definitely mind giving up a future first-round pick in the potential deal since they have a plethora of future draft assets in their collection.
For the Trail Blazers, the suggested deal would enable them to clear a huge chunk of their salary cap space while acquiring a young and promising talent that they could develop in Kuminga and a future first-round selection. However, those assets may not be enough to convince them to trade Lillard. To make the deal more appealing for the Trail Blazers, the Lakers and the Warriors should consider sending more young players and future draft assets to Portland.
]]>The Inquisitr
