Damian Lillard Could Be First Eastern Conference Guard To Make All-NBA First Team Since 2011

Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard is heavily expected to be traded to the Miami Heat this offseason.

It would give him the perfect opportunity to become the first Eastern Conference guard to make the All-NBA first team since 2011.

Former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose was the last to accomplish this feat. That season, he averaged 25.0 points and 7.7 assists while leading the Bulls to the No. 1 seed. Rose’s career was unfortunately derailed by injury, preventing him from making another first-team appearance.

If Lillard is sent to Miami, he would have the statistical prowess and competing roster to end the 12-year drought. Last season, he averaged 32.2 points and 7.3 assists on 46.3 percent shooting from the field. In his career, Lillard has been selected for seven All-NBA teams. The most recent of which was a third-team selection last year.

The Heat would be one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, forming a Big Three with Lillard, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo.

Over the past decade, the First Team has been dominated by guards Stephen Curry and James Harden, who have made four and six appearances, respectively. Surprisingly, former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving has never received a First-Team nod.

On most occasions, players selected are on high-seeded playoff teams, which Lillard has struggled to do in Portland. So if sent to the Heat, he would have a real shot to break this over-decade-long drought.

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Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at anthonypasciolla36@gmail.com or follow him on Tik Tok @anthonysports_