The Heat have long been viewed as the frontrunner to land Damian Lillard, in large part because Miami is his preferred destination.
However, outside of the Heat, the Raptors are one of the top contenders – “if not the most viable threat” – to trade for the Trail Blazers star, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Fischer draws a comparison to the Donovan Mitchell deal last year, when the Knicks were long viewed as the favorite to land the All-NBA guard but the Cavaliers surprisingly traded for him instead.
A couple different reporters have cited the Raptors as a possible Lillard suitor, and Fischer suggests their interest is more than just cursory. Still, despite being involved in plenty of rumors over the past year, Toronto’s lack of actual moves has created skepticism around the league that the team will actually acquire Lillard, Fischer writes.
As for what Toronto would give up, OG Anunoby is a name worth watching, according to Fischer, but it’s unclear where the defensive stalwart would eventually land in a potential deal. Sources tell Fischer that Scottie Barnes is off limits and Pascal Siakam is unlikely to be involved, but first-rounder Gradey Dick could be included.
The Trail Blazers are focused on finding the “greatest possible return” for Lillard, sources tell Fischer, and have “strongly considered” the possibility of acquiring Suns center Deandre Ayton as part of a multi-team framework. Ayton’s potential involvement was first reported by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 on Thursday night.
The Bulls are also interested in Lillard, Fischer confirms, but teams around the league — including Portland — aren’t excited about acquiring Zach LaVine, who has been available for a few months now, as Fischer has reported multiple times.
Omg when will the nonsense stop? Can anyone, anyone actually provide an actual example of a trade?
In order for this trade to happen, just too match salary, Portland would have to take OG, Gary Trent and Thad Young.
So how is that better than Herro? Especially when you factor in Trent will be a free agent and OG only has a player option next year. Unless Toronto unloads a boat load of picks, which they may, don’t see how the deal benefits Portland.
OG is the best player. Trent’s not much different than Herro.
I don’t fully disagree, but what’s the point of trading for players that will leave after one year?
Well, Portland wants nothing to do with Herro since he has 4 years $120m on his contract. Trading Lillard means they are rebuilding so they dont want to take on Herro as all their main building blocks are guards. Herro would be making that coming off the bench. No way Trent would be included in a trade with Toronto as he’s been very vocal about hating his time in Portland but Portland would rather take on an expiring contract than Herro. Thats why a Heat deal hasn’t been completed. They want draft picks and young players on good contracts.
4 years $120m isn’t bad for someone avg 20-5-4. How many players putting up those numbers on a better contract? 4? 5? Not too many. It’s literally the same thing they’re paying Grant, and Herro is getting more rebounds as an SG.
20-5-4 isn’t that great, and Herro’s rep around the league is of a borderline starter type, which you try to avoid paying near-max money to (and the Blazers already have one of those situations in Grant). The “20” sounds good, but scoring avg can be deceptive. Depends on whom else on the team is scoring, and how they’re scoring. Also efficiency. Teams look at a lot more than just balls in the hoop per game. And then there’s defense …
It’s not great but it’s good. 5 reb for a SG? Dude is out rebounding most the PFs in the league.
It’s better than Herro as the Blazers have their backcourt of the future, and are not paying a backup $30M, which is what Tyler would be in Portland.
Well if they’re not going to pay $30m for a backup then they will have to continue paying $50m for Lillard to do what? Hold their younger players back? Remember to move Lillard you have to bring something back in. Why y’all keep ignoring that?
I think OG would be flipped to a 3rd team though
Possibly, but who is going to give something significant up for a player than can opt next year?
Bird rights matter in the NBA, so lots of teams.
lots of BS chatter going around… Lillard will be on the Heat this time next week… the Blazers are leaking everything imaginable today lol
I honestly would be pissed it the Raptors traded for Dame. I don’t want a disgruntled old guy on this team and then we Trade OG and more. Not interested in this. Let Dame stay in Portland. Miami isn’t interested in the cost.
Toronto is NOT interested in Damian Lillard. They are NOT giving up assets for a player who does not want to be there. A player who is often injured, past his prime, doesn’t play defense and will soon be making $60 million per year.
This is NOT a Kawhi Leonard situation which is why all these dudes keep writing stories about Toronto.
The Bulls explored deals over the summer for everybody on the team. They ultimately decided to run it back with what they had while making additions like Torre Craig and Jevon Carter.
Now suddenly because a dude writes a story saying Bulls are interested in Lillard, suddenly they are now gonna completely change the team. They are currently only pondering an extension for DeRozan, after extending Vucevic this summer.
They may be interested in Herro, who is from Milwaukee which is 90 miles from Chicago. However, they don’t have any assets to give. They are not parting with 1st round picks.
Oft injured? I guess sure, he was injured for several years of his career but continued to play through that Ab injury until 2021 when the NBA made all but 4 players on their team sit out due to COVID where Portland had to sign several guys to 10 day contracts so Dame basically said screw it, I’ll get that surgery I should have gotten several years ago. The last 2 years are the only years he’s been injured and last year was more of we aren’t competing so stay home so we can keep our draft pick.
He’s still in his prime. Sure he’s getting old but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s the third best PG in the NBA.
Toronto has the best package available
There’s OG, Siakim and Barnes all capable of headlining a return and sweeteners such as Gradey or picks and then good cap fillers with GTJ, Thad Young, Boucher or Otto Porter.
Their three most attractive pieces all fit into what forward would ideally want in return aswell which is forwards as they are already happy with the guards they have too.
It’s all about how much is Portland asking for, how much is Toronto willing to give away and is Dame willing to join without causing problems.
I think any deal needs to not include Pascal. If your trading for Dame it’s to win now and he has to stay in order for that to happen. He also doesn’t fit Portlands now young timeline either so that’s an easy cut. Which leaves Scottie or OG.
I know the article says Scottie is off limits but me personally I’d trade Barnes. He’s got a higher value which means you you get to keep more assets, he’s not as good defensively as OG who’s one of the best in the league. Scotties a terrible shooter whereas OG is solid from outside. Scottie is more on the ball which doesn’t suit having Dame, Pascal and Poeltl who will all also want a good amount of touches. There’s also the fact Scottie didn’t progress as expected from rookie year to sophomore year and there were questions about his offseason and things.
The only real negative from a Scottie deal is that for salary matching purposes you also have to give up Gary Trent Jr who you’d actually rather keep.
So I mean in terms of discussions I’d begin with
Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr, Chris Boucher (no picks) for Damien Lillard
However if your Portland I think, you need to be a little bit more smart and be aware of the fact you already have Scoot who isn’t a great shooter and needs the ball aswell as Simons who will want touches so maybe Scottie isn’t the best fit for you either. Maybe you’d actually prefer OG, as he’s the better shooter and defender and would pair better with what you have. Maybe you then ask for a couple less valuable back ups such as Thad Young and Otto Porter to get the deal done with maybe 1 first round pick attached if your lucky.
If that was to be the case you could then circle back to Pheonix and try Nurkic and vets like Thad and Otto Porter for Ayton. That would give you a solid looking young side. Scoot Simons OG Grant Ayton, … Sharpe Thybulle Murray …
So there’s some discussions to be had I guess. If I’m Portland I’d rather both of those deals over anything Miami has to offer anyway
Portland is rebuilding. There is no reason to add a Siakam or OG. No reason to add guys about to hit free agency, or to give them whatever their max is. There is no reason to start building your future roster before Scoot has played an NBA game. No reason to build until you see how your other young guys play with Scoot.
Portland needs a year or two of being bad and the high draft picks, and chances to get players under your control early.
Once you have a clearer idea of what you have, and your players have some experience under their belt, you then want to have the cap space to make an addition or two, or use the space in a trade. If Scoot and Sharpe are the goods, their extensions will then take you over the cap.
Rookie year Scottie Barnes, and Sophomore year Scottie Barnes were two different things. Toronto will tell you that they don’t know what they have right now. Scottie will tell you he needs the ball in his hands. How is that gonna work with Scoot? Scottie didn’t listen to Fred VanVleet …. Why is he gonna listen to Scoot?
Clearly you didn’t read what I said…..
Firstly I said Pascal wouldn’t go to Portland at all. Secondly I said Toronto should look to try move Scottie and that Portland would likely prefer OG. And I said about Scottie having a poor season and needing the ball…..
You didn’t really add anything here
If the Raptors are willing to talk Barnes, the deal gets done yesterday (assuming Dame is OK with it). Barnes would go to a third team and Portland would get a goldmine of picks and/or young players. Houston maybe? New Orleans? OKC?
That’s a good shout, Scottie to a third team.
Cause I don’t think Scottie would work well with Scoot Sharpe and Simons, although he he plays the ideal position.
Don’t think Houston is a fit with all their SF options and lack of outside shooters.
Similar with New Orleans, they have Ingram Zion Herb and Trey…. And OKC have ball handlers and non shooters.
Indy I’m sure would throw a lot of picks at trying to get Scottie. Then my other suggestions would be New York, Memphis and Minnesota.
Just for example imagine Scottie to Minny.
… ANT Scottie McDaniels Gobert, that’s probably the best defensive team in the league. Probably need to add a shooter at the 1 that won’t take to many touches that allows them to run things through ANT and Scottie.
Portland in turn would get KAT as the headline and fillers and obviously Toronto gets Dame.
KAT isn’t on the perfect timeline fit for Portland but would provide the necessary spacing for Scoot
Portland will definitely not do dame like that. He might aswell stay lol.
If the Chicago Bulls were genuinely interested in adding a big name while at the same time filling the Lonzo Ball void, they could swing a deal for James Harden. He contract is less than Lillard, and just slightly higher than Herro. Best part is that he is on an expiring deal.
However, Bulls lack assets to swing deals. They just went through the 2023 draft without a pick.
No chance the Bulls will have anything to do with Harden. Bulls already have guards out the ying yang. Bulls need more size with their interior players. Why Harden? Expensive, questionable attitude, sometimes not in shape, has to have the ball all the time.
Bulls aren’t trading for Lillard either. Don’t believe any of the rumors. LaVine is 5 years younger than Lillard. Doubt Lillard wants to come to Chicago anyway.
Every time I read the latest gossip on Lillard’s destination and his “desire” on where he wants to go, I get this weird Kyrie Irving vibe. The entitlement feelings are off the chart.
It’s entirely possible that this will be the first trade in pro sports history where every single team in the league is involved…
Na
A POR-TOR deal around Barnes for Lillard could work for both teams. It should be a no-brainer for POR. It would only work for TOR if its limited to Barnes (plus expiring/matching contracts from non-rotation pieces) for Lillard. They have to believe they can contend the next 4 seasons, or there’s no reason to trade away such a young talented player.
Lillard will ethusiastically agree once he’s made to understand that the choices are TOR or POR. The similarity of the situation to the Kwahi situation wouldn’t be lost on him.
I would assume Portland would get a third or 4th team involved to trade away Trent, maybe OG. I would assume Portland would want to maximize picks in any event so that they can trade those picks for something valuable instead of being stuck with spare parts