Will Damian Lillard Be A Trailblazer next season?

 


Written By: Dylan Grodner, of Swish Tribune 

The hottest topic of this off-season is the potential that Damian Lillard will be traded. Dame-Dolla is one of the most loyal players in the league, playing for the Blazers for 11 years. Unfortunately, Damian Lillard has never made it out of the Western Conference playoffs in the time he's been in the league. As loyal as he is, there comes a time when a player must be traded. In this case, Damian Lillard is that player. Damian Lillard has stated multiple times that he doesn't want to be apart of a rebuild and wants to be in a win-now situation. The Trailblazers certainly have the opportunity to trade for another all-star caliber player to put alongside Damian Lillard. 

After drafting Scoot Henderson with the 3rd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Blazers have an important decision to make. Do they start a rebuild with Scoot or do they make a splash to become a contender? 

If the Trailblazers look to contend, the first thing they must do is resign Jerami Grant. From there, the Blazers have many young pieces they can move including Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe. 

Some big name players on the market that the Blazers can look to add include Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns, Pascal Siakam, and Deandre Ayton. These players can definitely put the Blazers in a position to win, but are they enough to win it all? That's the question Damian Lillard and the Blazers have to ask themselves. 

If the Trailblazers opt to go in a different direction and start a rebuild, then they certainly have a solid young core, in addition to the package they receive back from a Damian Lillard trade. 

Some potential players the Blazers can receive back in a Damian Lillard include Tyler Herro, Mikail Bridges, and other young players that can help start a rebuild in Portland. 

At the end of the day Damian Lillard may end up staying with Portland, playing alongside the young core they have now. Scoot Henderson seems league ready, Anfernee Simons looks like he can take a jump to the next level, and Shaedon Sharpe also has the ability to take a jump entering his second season. 

The Trailblazers will continue to be active this off-season, but I'm guessing the team will look very similar to how it looks now as they enter the 2023-2024 NBA Season. 

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