With a potential Damian Lillard trade to the Heat still in limbo, one rising Western Conference playoff contender should consider pursuing the Trail Blazers star, says SI’s Chris Mannix.
Appearing on the newest episode of The Crossover NBA Show, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix shared a fictional-yet-plausible scenario that “could be rooted in reality” in the coming months. His theory? Lillard, in a shocking twist, ends up getting dealt to the Thunder to play with guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, and a debuting Chet Holmgren, who missed his rookie season due to an offseason Lisfranc injury.
“Let’s say Oklahoma City … [wins] 60 something percent of their games through January, they’re sitting in the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference. … What’s to stop [general manager] Sam Presti from saying, ‘You know what, Damian Lillard’s got three-and-a-half years left on his deal? Let’s go get him,’” Mannix said, noting OKC’s bevy of draft picks and young players.
Mannix then hypothesized the potential damage of a starting five that would have Lillard at point guard, two-way star Gilgeous-Alexander at shooting guard and versatile wing defender Luguentz Dort at small forward.
“I think that’d be pretty damn good, personally,” he continued. “I think Shai can defend two guards, I think Dort is strong enough to defend threes and fours when has to. If you’re Portland, you gotta be thinking about that scenario or something like that in the next three, four months.”
While Lillard has long been linked to Miami, the seven-time All-Star still remains a member of the Blazers after months of speculation.
With the start of the 2023–24 season still more than a month away, it’ll be interesting to see if the Thunder or any other contending teams check in on Lillard’s availability.
