Building a 3-Team Blockbuster If Damian Lillard Requests Trade

Portland, Oregon (PSF) - As we get closer to 2023 free agency in the NBA, the trade rumor mill is running in overdrive.

We’ve already seen Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Marcus Smart moved. Chris Paul has been traded twice. After the Portland Trial Blazers drafted guard Scoot Henderson, it feels like Damian Lillard may be the next domino to fall.

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But to where? And how? Below is a three-team blockbuster trade packages we cooked up for if Lillard asks out of Portland.

The Trade:

Brooklyn Nets Receive: Damian Lillard and two 2024 second-round picks from the San Antonio Spurs.

Portland Trial Blazers Receive: Doug McDermott, Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, a 2025 first- round pick from Brooklyn (via Phoenix), a 2027 first-round pick from Brooklyn (via Philadelphia), a 2028 first-round pick from Brooklyn and a 2029 first-round pick from Brooklyn (via Dallas).

San Antonio Spurs Receive: Ben Simmons and Kevin Knox.

Trail Blazers start over, Portland will entertain the full rebuild if Lillard asks to be traded. Even though General Manager Joe Cronin has expressed on seeing a backcourt with Lillard and Henderson playing together. But, if the Trail Blazers go young and add additional assets and gather up draft picks for the future with a roster of Simons, Sharpe, Henderson, Grant (if he resigns), Cam Thomas, Day’Ron, and McDermott, they will be in a strong position.

Spurs take a flier, by taking on the hefty contract of Simmons (which pays him $37.9 million in 2023-24 and $40.3 million in 2024-25) only runs for two more seasons and there’s only one coach who might be able to coax the old Simmons out of hiding, it’s San Antonio led by Gregg Popovich. Simmons' playmaking and vision would give Wembanyama tons of open looks and with Simmons’ defensive prowess making a return if healthy would give the Spurs a nightmarish frontline.

The Nets go all-in. After moving on from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving the Nets have a chance to slow-play a more organic, stable team-building approach. With this deal, Brooklyn would still have Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O’Neale, and the ability to match any offer sheet for Cameron Johnson. Also, Nic Claxton is a more explosive rim runner than what Dame has in Portland which would allow him to run more pick-and-roll. Ultimately, this deal makes the Brooklyn Nets a scary team in the Eastern Conference and moves them closer to any contention if they can get everything together.