Damian Lillard to be Traded?

Damian Lillard to be Traded?

27 May, 2023

Damian Lillard, an All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers, has encouraged the Rip City fan base to start a petition to have him transferred.

Even if his allegiance has been unwavering, nothing lasts forever. Which player would provide the ideal focal point if Lillard were to be actively pursued by Blazers management this summer?

With their individual organizations, Ben Simmons, Tyler Herro, Pascal Siakam, and James Harden are all in intriguing circumstances.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, two of Simmons’ former all-star colleagues, left the team because they didn’t think they could succeed with him.

Perhaps you are aware of Darko Milicic as a well-known NBA draft flop, but how does one come by that reputation? What did Milicic’s actual career entail? What led to the hype that made their career a letdown? Let’s look inside the Prism.

To make matters worse, Simmons lost his spot in the starting lineup in November 2022 and again in the final four games he participated in.

Not so long ago, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers referred to Simmons as the “young king” and Simmons was a regular at NBA All-Star games, defensive All-Star, and regular All-Defensive recipient.

Simmons, 26, can raise a club off of his playmaking, rebounding, and defense alone despite coming off of a career-worst season; but, his fouling will need to improve.

Herro, the 2022 Sixth Man of the Year, aspired to a bigger position with the Miami Heat. This season, he was added to the Heat’s starting lineup, and whether as a direct cause or scapegoat, Miami’s performance in the Eastern Conference standings was noticeably poorer.

That didn’t matter much, though, as the Heat have dominated their opponents throughout these playoffs and are just one win away from making their second appearance in the NBA Finals in four years.

Still, swapping Lillard for Herro would offer Dame a championship-winning tradition and teammates who can shoot and defend at a caliber he hasn’t seen in his career.

Herro would be given immediate access to the Blazers’ offensive franchise, and given his talent, he would probably put up All-Star statistics while assisting the team in winning games.

Siakam is familiar with what it’s like to triumph in Toronto, but recently, Toronto has declined. Both players might benefit from a change of scenery.

Finally, Harden hasn’t been averse to considering moving on to pastures new. Joel Embiid, the current MVP, gave a cryptic statement when asked what the Philadelphia 76ers needed to do to advance.

Few players in the league can run an offense and command the game the way he can, despite whatever shortcomings he may have, and should at least be looked at should Dame and the Blazers agree on a split. Harden may be the least desirable centerpiece of the group due to his age, defense, and expected price tag.