Damian Lillard’s trade request to the Portland Trail Blazers‘ front office has led to a host of potential suitors for him across the league. The 32-year-old had a MVP-caliber season in terms of numbers, but was part of a team that finished 13th in the Western Conference. Subsequently, the Trail Blazers drafted the mercurial 19-year-old point guard Scoot Henderson with their 3rd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Immediately afterwards, Dame decided to abandon ship and look elsewhere in the league for better options.
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The veteran guard was touted to end up with the Miami Heat by many. However, as things stand now, the Heat are not the only ones interested in Lillard’s services. Multiple other teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, have shown interest in him. According to Brian Windhorst and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Lillard himself is interested in the Spurs. Windhorst claimed in his podcast “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,” that Lillard might be more willing to play alongside Victor Wembenyama, rather than Scoot Henderson.
Lillard has been very loyal to the Trail Blazers from the start of his career. However, his desire to land a Championship seems to have finally compelled him to look for greener pastures. However, with so many teams interested, Dame Dolla has a number of other possibilities on his plate.
Brian Windhorst believes Damian Lillard could consider going to the Spurs
Windhorst claimed that while Dame is interested in the Miami Heat, he also has a deep respect for the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs took Victor Wembenyama as the 1st pick in this year’s Draft and have had a quiet offseason after that. Adding Damian Lillard will instantly make them playoff contenders in the Western Conference.
Initially, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne had reported about Lillard’s Spurs connection. This was followed by Brian Windhorst, who revealed that Lillard does have an interest in the Spurs:
“Ramona Shelburne has reported and I have heard this as well, and I didn’t just hear it in the last three days. I heard it a while ago that Dame does indeed have interest in the San Antonio Spurs.”
The Trail Blazers have a number of teams that they can consider to facilitate a trade for Damian Lillard. As things stand, Lillard appears set to leave his team and does not want to play alongside Scoot Henderson. A union with the number 1 pick Victor Wembenyama looks to be far more likely.
Portland keep their options open
The Trail Blazers have decided to keep themselves open to other possibilities, along with the Heat. The team is more interested in getting the best package for their squad rather than cooperating with Lillard’s specific demand, according to reports.
Apart from the Heat, the likes of Brooklyn and the LA Clippers have also been linked with a potential move for Lillard. The Spurs have not been linked directly until now. It is easy to see how Lillard can benefit from a move to Gregg Popovich’s team. He will fit in straight alongside the talented Devin Vassell at PG and will be part of a young talented lineup that will only get better with time.
However, the likes of Keldon Johnson, Vessell, and Victor Wembenyama might not immediately be ready to lead the franchise to a championship. That, with Lillard looking for immediate contention, might be the biggest problem with a potential move.
