Woj Dubs Jazz as ‘Dangerous Lurkers’ in Damian Lillard Trade Process
Development surrounding the Damian Lillard trade saga continues to take some weird turns, and that is no different when looking into ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s latest report on the story. Even with the overarching belief that Dame might as well already be in Miami now, other suitors have continued to be connected to the 7x All-NBA guard, one being the Utah Jazz.
"Small-market teams, like Utah, can’t acquire the likes of Lillard in free agency, but armed with draft picks and developing young players, they can become dangerous lurkers in the trade process. The Jazz made a call to check on Lillard, sources said, but that isn’t a significant development. An offer would be a development. First, the Jazz must consider if Lillard’s timeline at nearly 33 years old makes sense for their young team — and could they acquire him at a reasonable cost to stay flexible for the next young star who becomes available in trades?”
- Adrian Wojnarowski, via ESPN.
Even with this report, things still seem to trend toward Lillard going elsewhere. It does at the very least, breathe a bit of life into the rumor in its entirety. Utah did their due diligence (as did many other teams) in checking on Lillard, and you’d have to think the Portland Trail Blazers have some intrigue in the Jazz’s substantial draft pool.
Lillard seems extremely set on a move to the Miami Heat still, as voiced by his agent. The Blazers, on the other hand, are on the exact opposite of this spectrum. Rumors indicate a significant divide in the process up to this point, allowing it to extend potentially longer than any fan or executive would hope.
This could give a few other teams in the race a better shot to acquire Dame’s services if the Blazers decide to play hardball. Portland has no incentive to get a deal done quickly, so even if Lillard is absolutely set on going to Miami, there’s no reason for GM Joe Cronin to have his hand forced with Lillard on contract for the foreseeable future.
Prepare for a long and grueling process to continue, because neither side seems to be showing any sign of weakness in their stance. The Jazz and many other teams will continue to monitor the situation and may even decide to pounce when the time is right.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream podcasts!
