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Could Damian Lillard end up a Raptor?
Could Damian Lillard end up a Raptor?
I know, I know, we’re all sick of hearing about Damian Lillard at this point. I’m pretty much right there with you if you’re there.
Every few days there seems to be a report that basically tells us nothing we don’t already know in that Lillard wants to end up in Miami. Even the NBA seems tired of it and threatened to punish Lillard and his agent if they weren’t quieter about it all, but new rumors suggest it’s not impossible Lillard could end up somewhere else entirely.
Apparently, there has been word around the league that the Toronto Raptors have shown interest in trading for Damian Lillard, according to Matt Moore of Action Network. Toronto is as different geographically from Miami as one could be.
This brings us to the main point of all this: Would the Raptors actually trade for Damian Lillard?
In short, I don’t think the Raptors would want to make this move. Looking at their roster, they would have to give up way too many assets to make this work. Pascal Siakam would have to be the starting point to make the money work, from there the Blazers would likely want guys like O.G. Anunoby or Gary Trent Jr.
The point is, the Raptors would end up having to give up way too much and likely wouldn’t be in much better of a spot they are in right now. The trade would be crippling the team’s depth and make them way too reliant on Lillard himself.
Maybe you want to pair up Lillard and Scottie Barnes but even that wouldn’t be worth the price. I know Lillard is a tempting name to bring in. It’s the type of move that immediately puts fans in seats while making the team more “fun” to watch.
It may have been a down year by Raptors fan’s standards, but I hardly think this is the solution to that. You would be hitching your entire wagon on a 33-year-old guard who plays no defense with little supporting cast behind him.
I don’t know about you, but that seems far from a winning strategy in today’s NBA. The Raptors should continue doing what they’re doing and develop some of their younger guys. If a bigger-name player appears in free agency, I think that’s where you make your splash.
Your “splash” shouldn’t be trading everything for a few more years of elite Damian Lillard basketball, so I very much doubt this scenario ends up happening, even though it was nice to run through one that didn’t end with Lillard on the Heat.
For now, we continue to sit and wait to see what ends up happening with Lillard. The season start draws nearer and the Blazers still seem far away from making a trade for Lillard. But it seems like he will start the season the Blazer, despite how much Damian Lillard might hate that.
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