NBA superstars seem to always be on the move in today’s game. Trading C.J. McCollum marked the end of the Blazers’ push to try and get a championship. Over the last two seasons, the Blazers have made small efforts to get better like trading for Jerami Grant. It is now clear that the Blazers aren’t close to a championship. Damian Lillard makes a lot of sense to trade since they will get a haul back. Here are two ideal fits for the superstar.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets had to completely rebuild this season after trading their two superstars, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. However, they got a huge haul for both these players and have a bright future going forward. The Nets have six first-round picks, most notably Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson. Bridges showed star potential in his time with the Nets averaging 26 points per game.
The Nets have a lot of championship-caliber role players and an emerging star in Mikal Bridges, but they lack the true superstar a contender needs. If Damian Lillard is available, the Nets should make a move to get him. Players like Cam Thomas and Cam Johnson are players with lots of upside the Blazers would value, along with multiple first-round picks.
The Nets would have a core of Mikal Bridges, Damian Lillard, and while he isn’t dependable, Ben Simmons could start to emerge too. The Nets could potentially become around a fourth or fifth seed with Dame, but they likely won’t become championship contenders. While the Nets are a good landing spot for him, this team is likely the ideal spot for Damian Lillard.
Miami Heat
The Heat have had a miracle run so far in these NBA playoffs knocking off the one-seed bucks led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jimmy Butler averaged 38 points per game and he is an elite playoff performer. However, the Heat will still need another piece to be a contender. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are both averaging 20 points per game, but the Heat just don’t get consistent production from Adebayo and Herro isn’t a second option on a championship team.
The Miami Heat already have a superstar in place, and they have the assets to go trade for another one. The Heat could put together a package of Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson, and multiple first-round picks.
The Heat would be an ideal fit for Dame. Damian Lillard is a small guard, so he gets hunted on defense. Miami has a top-ten defense and has two great defenders in Butler and Adebayo. Damian Lillard is coming off another season averaging 30 points per game, so a potential regression shouldn’t be a problem.
Trading for Dame would allow the Heat to maximize Jimmy Butler’s prime, and put together a championship contender. A team consisting of Butler, Dame, and Adebayo would be able to get by defensively and thrive on offense. The Heat need another superstar scorer, and Dame provides exactly that.
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