Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors. (Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
The Golden State Warriors have the trade pieces for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
Damian Lillard has been a mainstay on the Portland Trail Blazers, but his hometown Golden State Warriors have what it takes to trade for the perennial All-NBA point guard this summer.
Lillard is entering his 10th season out of Weber State. If he were to stay in Portland, it would be the first he has not played for long-time Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. While Portland hired former NBA star point guard Chauncey Billups, Portland could be entering a rebuilding phase if the Trail Blazers do decide to ship Lillard elsewhere. Could the Oakland native go back to the Bay Area?
Here is what it will take for the Warriors to acquire Lillard from Portland in a blockbuster trade.
Damian Lillard trade rumors: What would Warriors have to give up?
In very simple terms, trading for Lillard will require the Warriors to part ways with Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, and a boatload of draft compensation. Golden State is fortunate to have two first-round picks in the lottery portion this year with their own at No. 14 and the No. 7 overall pick by way of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell trade.
So while a package of Wiggins, Wiseman, the No. 7 pick, and the No. 14 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is a start, that may not be enough to get the Trail Blazers on board with trading away their best player since Clyde Drexler. Golden State will likely have to give up its first-round pick in 2023, as well as a second-round pick in 2022. Those six pieces might be enough to get Portland to bite.
Golden State has the assets to help jumpstart Portland’s rebuild in exchange for Lillard star power.