Damian Lillard has officially entered the trade rumor mill after a series of tweets that suggested he wants out from the Portland Trail Blazers. Even before the tweets, some believe that Lillard deserves to be somewhere else. After all, Lillard has led the Blazers to eight consecutive playoff appearances. However, five of these trips resulted in first-round exits.
This may be the right time for Lillard to exit. This is where the Celtics enter. After a disappointing season, they've made the right steps so far through a front-office change and by hiring a new coach. The next move should now involve the roster. To get Lillard, the Celtics are bound to give out a lot. But given his caliber, this should propel them out of the run, and maybe even give them the title.
Celtics' Best Trade Offers For Damian Lillard
Lillard for Brown and Smart
The ESPN Trade Machine allows a trade involving Damian Lillard in exchange for Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. This is a fair trade no matter how you look at it. The Celtics really have no choice but to insert Brown into a trade package involving a star-caliber player like Lillard. Brown has shown remarkable improvement last season and was named into the All-Star Team. Despite this, the Celtics' struggles all season long were well-documented. This suggests that their roster needs a little tweak. After all, the two swingman All-Star duo doesn't have to possess the same potency as that of a double guard or guard-center duo. Brown and Jayson Tatum have different playstyles but can't seem to complement one another.
Though the Blazers will lose one of the best point guards of this generation, the good thing is that they'll have better longevity with Brown. The man is just 24-years-old. The Blazers can slowly surround him with the right pieces while at the same time, remain as playoff contenders in the West. The Blazers still have a very good roster with CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter, and Robert Covington in the fold.
Three-Team Trade With the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are in a similar situation with the Trail Blazers. The only difference is that it is the team that's not so sure about moving forward with one of their stars. It's in the playoffs where stars are born. It's also in the playoffs which players need to be booted out. And of course, we're talking about Ben Simmons who had a horrendous showing in the playoffs. Rumors remain mixed. Some say the team is committed to Simmons while some say that they're actively looking for trade partners. However, the general consensus among analysts is that if the 76ers want to have an actual shot at the title, they need to move on from Simmons.
The ESPN Trade Machine allows a three-team trade with the Trail Blazers and the 76ers. The Celtics will get Damian Lillard and George Hill, the Trail Blazers will get Ben Simmons and Tristan Thompson, and the 76ers will get Jaylen Brown and Harry Giles III. In this scenario, the 76ers seem to have given a lot in exchange for a one-time All-Star and an untested role player. However, the reality is that Simmons' trade stock has considerably plummeted after that poor postseason showing. Other teams will likely offer a similar trade package for the Australian.
Besides, Brown may be the perfect complement to Joel Embiid. The guy is an offensive beast who can move without the ball, run fastbreak on his own, and more importantly: shoot the ball.
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