Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is expected to be one of the most coveted superstars on the trade market in the 2021 offseason. The Trail Blazers may not have shown any indication that they are planning to make Lillard available on the trading block this summer but if they suffer another early playoff exit in the 2020-21 NBA season, some people believe that the six-time NBA All-Star may finally consider following in the footsteps of other superstars and find his way out of Portland.
Celtics Could Go All-In For Damian Lillard
Once he becomes officially available on the trading block, several aspiring contenders that are in dire need of a backcourt boost and an additional star power are expected to do everything they can to add Lillard to their roster. One of the teams that are highly expected to go all-in for Lillard is the Boston Celtics. According to Sportsnaut, the Celtics could offer a package that includes Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, Robert Williams III, and a future first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Lillard, Robert Covington, and Jusuf Nurkic.
Will Celtics GM Danny Ainge Finally Consider Breaking Up HIs Young Superstar Duo?
Celtics president of basketball operations and general manager Danny Ainge may have been against the idea of trading Brown and Jayson Tatum but according to Sportsnaut, he may finally consider breaking their young superstar duo if they suffer another disappointment this year.
“Celtics general manager Danny Ainge continues to push back against giving up real assets for another star player. Not wanting to move off Jayson Tatum for either Anthony Davis or Kawhi Leonard makes sense in hindsight. With that said, Ainge’s inactivity has these Celtics on the brink of irrelevance back east. A premature departure from the NBA Playoffs could force him to change up midstream.”
Damian Lillard-Jayson Tatum Pairing Could Take Celtics To Next Level
Sacrificing Brown would definitely be worth it for the Celtics if it means acquiring a more established superstar like Lillard. Lillard would give the Celtics one of the league’s best clutch players, as well as an incredible playmaker and an elite three-point shooter. This season, he’s averaging 28.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
It’s worth noting that aside from Lillard, the Celtics would also be receiving two quality role players in the proposed deal. When both players are healthy, Covington and Nurkic could join Lillard and Tatum in the starting lineup.
Why The Trail Would Make The Trade
If Lillard already wants to leave Portland, accepting the Celtics’ suggested offer should be a no-brainer for the Trail Blazers. By sending Lillard to Beantown, the Trail Blazers wouldn’t only be acquiring the centerpiece of the next title-contending team that they will try to build in Portland in Brown, but they would also be adding a veteran point guard in Walker, a young and promising big man in Williams III, and a future first-round pick.
The proposed trade deal would give the Trail Blazers the option to remain competitive in the Western Conference or immediately undergo a full-scale rebuild in the post-Lillard era.
