Well, it finally happened. Damian Lillard has asked for a trade, and Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Clippers are interested.
Of course the Clippers are interested. Damian Lillard is an All-NBA level guard, who, despite his age, just put forth the best season of his career last year. His combination of shooting, playmaking, scoring, and leadership would make him a perfect fit next to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
The real questions are twofold. First, is Damian Lillard interested in the Clippers? Second, would the Clippers be able to put together a competitive package for Lillard that would get the front office onboard even if Lillard doesn’t want to go there.
By all accounts, the answer to the first question is no. Shams Charania, David Aldridge, and Marc Spears have all said that Lillard’s only real interest is the Heat. Chris Haynes has said that the Heat and Nets are preferred destinations, with the Spurs also mentioned as a wildcard. Now, they could be getting that information from the Heat, or for someone in Dame’s camp who wants those teams, but still. Nobody has mentioned the Clippers.
The second question is a bit more complicated, since it depends on what the Blazers’ office wants. Early, it seems to be prospects and picks. The Clippers do not have much there. In terms of true prospects, the only guy even remotely close to a blue-chip is Bones Hyland – and the Blazers’ best young players are guards. Brandon Boston, Jason Preston, Moussa Diabate, Kobe Brown, and Jordan Miller all probably have some level of value. But all of them together aren’t nearly as valuable as say, Nic Claxton from the Nets, Devin Vassell from the Spurs, or Scottie Barnes from the Raptors. The picks are even worse, as the Clippers can trade just the 2028 and 2030 1sts and swaps in 2027 and 2029. That’s about the same as Miami, and way less than Brooklyn or the Spurs.
All in all, a Clippers deal for Damian Lillard seems unlikely. What is more likely is that they get in on a three-team deal, whether its the Sixers involved (for Harden), Bulls (LaVine), or even other guys on the Blazers (Simons).
