Portland Trail Blazers fans are anxious as we head toward the 2021-22 NBA season. Star point guard, Damian Lillard, has not yet requested a trade from the team, which puts them at ease. However, there is constant chatter about it that has them on edge about whether or not Lillard does want to stay in the great northwest.
Throughout the offseason, Lillard has denied requesting a trade. He has defended his stance on social media and in interviews, saying all the right things when it comes to wanting to remain in Portland. However, he hasn’t offered many ringing endorsements recently.
During an Instagram Live, Damian Lillard said that he is not leaving Portland, for now. That is not what fans or people within the organization want to hear, as that gives a little more credence to the rumors swirling that he will ask to be traded. Honestly, at this point, who could blame him?
The team has lost in the first round four out of the last five years. They have been unable to surround him with the talent to help get this team to the next level. He wanted the front office to show urgency and their response was signing Cody Zeller, Tony Snell, and Ben McLemore.
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Larry Nance Jr. was acquired in a three-team trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls as well. Nance is a solid addition, but far from the urgent, needle-moving transaction, Lillard was hoping for.
If Lillard reaches his breaking point and decides to ask for a trade, the Indiana Pacers are a team that should jump at the opportunity. Over at Bleacher Report, they were named as the brand-new landing spot for Lillard.
Indiana would be an intriguing landing spot for Damian Lillard. They have a deep roster, so even if three or four players are involved in a deal, they would still have the depth to field a competitive roster.
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The Indiana Pacers have a lot of options when it comes to swinging a trade for Lillard. Domantas Sabonis could be used as the centerpiece, which would make fans very happy. He is the son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, who played the entirety of his NBA career in Portland.
If not Sabonis, Indiana can offer some combination of Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, picks or prospects, or even both. Goga Bitadze, Isaiah Jackson, and Chris Duarte are three recent draft picks that could be included.
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The Indiana Pacers would be able to make a very competitive offer for Damian Lillard should the opportunity arise. He would help elevate this team into the playoff picture by himself. But, with what they already have in place, they would ascend toward the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
For a team that has struggled to get over the hump in recent years, this is a swing for the fences the whole organization should be getting behind.
