Pipe Dream or Common Sense: Mavs Connections for Dame Lillard Trade With Blazers
Last year around this time, rumors swirled about Damian Lillard's future with the Portland Trail Blazers. According to reports, the star guard was starting to grow impatient with his current situation. He wants to win big, and he wants to do it now.
Deep down, Lillard would like to win big in Portland rather than another city. He loves the team that drafted him, and he's been as loyal of a superstar as we've seen in a long time – probably since Dirk Nowtizki. But even Nowitzki has talked about how his decision to stay in Dallas past 2011 would've been a lot tougher if the Mavericks hadn't won the title that year.
Lillard is about to turn 32 years old this summer – the same age Nowitzki turned the offseason before his Mavs climbed the mountain. The difference, though? Nowtizki's team was actually good enough to contend, even if they were doubted along the way.
The Blazers are in a mess, and there doesn't seem to be any easy way out of it. They can't fully tank because Dame's time is ticking. They also can't magically morph into a true contender either due to their lack of assets. Portland's best chance of improving its roster is by trading the No. 7 pick in this year's draft. And even then, the best player the Blazers could probably get back is Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant. Grant is good, but he's likely not turning the Blazers into a contender in the loaded Western Conference.
Coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance, the Mavs' top priority this summer, according to GM Nico Harrison, is to re-sign Jalen Brunson, who had a stellar fourth year for Dallas and performed at a high level in the postseason. If that happens, the Mavs will be loaded at the guard position between Brunson, Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie. However, if Lillard decides he wants out of Portland, could the Mavs get their foot in the door for the superstar guard who is seven years older than Brunson?
Whether the Mavs should do it or not can be debated based on the age differences, but "having a seat at the table" for star players, as Harrison puts it, is a realistic possibility for Dallas due to the connections it has with Lillard. Adding another high-level, clutch playoff performer next to Doncic would be intriguing.
As the Blazers were searching for a new head coach last summer, Lillard told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes that "Jason Kidd is the guy I want." However, Kidd was hired by the Mavs shortly after that, and judging by the Mavs' success this season, Lillard might have been onto something.
Not only do the Mavs have the coach Lillard wanted, but they also have his close friend Harrison. The two connected when Harrison was still working at Nike, and Lillard even endorsed the hire for Dallas when it happened.
Even though it's not an actual connection like the other two are, the fact that Doncic has been a three-time All-NBA First Team player in just four seasons should be eye-opening to stars around the league looking for a change of scenery in a winning situation. If Doncic can get the Mavs within three games of the NBA Finals without any All-Star teammates, what would happen if he got one or two of those all of a sudden?
These are all things Lillard should consider as the Blazers continue to run out a ground ball. The Mavs might not have as good of assets as other teams to make a trade bid to the Blazers, but Lillard will likely have a big say in where he goes if he does eventually leave.
Lillard's loyalty to Portland is noble and respected – especially by those of us who witnessed the Nowitzki era in Dallas. But the hard truth is not all journeys end in fairytale fashion like that one did. The time for Lillard to win is now, but it will very likely have to be in another uniform – whether it's the Mavs or another contender.
You can follow Dalton Trigg on Twitter at @dalton_trigg
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