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The Los Angeles Lakers want to acquire a third star to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and increasingly disgruntled Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has to be at the top of the wish list.
Acquiring Lillard is financially feasible for the Lakers. Practically speaking, though, it's hard to imagine general manager Rob Pelinka cobbling together a package appealing enough to land the 31-year old superstar.
However, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, there may exist one, albeit unlikely, way that Pelinka can bring Dame to Los Angeles.
“A Lakers package would hinge on the Blazers' evaluation of second-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker,” Pincus writes.
To quote one iconic comedy: “So you're telling me there's a chance.”
“At 20, he's only a year or two older than some of the top prospects—Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, and Jalen Suggs—in July's NBA draft. ‘I'd max him out,' an Eastern Conference executive said.”
To quote another classic flick: “Bold strategy, Cotton.”
With only five players under guaranteed money for next season, the Lakers are facing a slew of tricky decisions this summer. Horton-Tucker—who averaged 16.2 points per 36 minutes in 2020-21—is a restricted free agent, and could be looking at a back-loaded $83 million offer (via the Gilbert Arenas provision) which could see him earn in the ballpark of $12 million in 2021-22.
“I haven’t really thought about it as much cause it was during the season so I really wasn’t trying to give it too much train of thought,” THT said about his free agency at exit interviews. “But I appreciate the opportunity that I’ve had here. I just want to let my representation handle all that. I feel like they’ll steer me in the right direction, wherever it is.”
There is an open debate as to THT's potential. A different executive told Pincus he sees THT as a “role player.” The Lakers are seemingly high on him, considering he was the sticking point that thwarted a deal for Kyle Lowry at the deadline. Of course, Lillard is on a different level.
If Blazers GM Neil Olshey happens to be impressed by the young and bruising slasher, the Lakers could be in supreme luck, once again.
Dame is due $39 million in 2021-22—the first season of a four-year, $176.3 million supermax contract.
In theory, the Lakers could send THT (via sign-and-trade) to Portland, packaging him with 26-year old Kyle Kuzma, 28-year old Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (both due $13 million in 2021-22), their upcoming first-round pick (No. 22 overall and eligible to be traded after the draft), their 2027 and 2028 firsts (the next first-rounders they can legally deal, depending on some New Orleans Pelicans choices down the road), up to five second-rounders, and a cheap contract like Alfonzo McKinnie or Marc Gasol to match Lillard's cap figure.
The two sides could also work out a deal involving unrestricted free agent Dennis Schroder, 27 (who may sign for $20-ish million annually), and/or Montrezl Harrell, 27, should he pick up his $9.7 million player option.
“Schroder will be an unrestricted free agent and will decide his destiny this offseason,” Pincus notes. “It may be more reasonable to project Horton-Tucker in a sign-and-trade to Portland because he's restricted and represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports (also the agent for James, Davis and Caldwell-Pope).”
Even if Olshey is bullish on THT, Lillard, like Klutch client Ben Simmons, would need to aggressively push for a move to Los Angeles in order for a league-busting blockbuster to gain traction. Notwithstanding one tweet from 2017 and his participation in “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” there's no explicit indication that Lillard is passionate about teaming up with LeBron and AD.
For now, Lakers fans can, and will, continue dreaming of Dame Time.
