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5 teams that could make a compelling trade offer for Damian Lillard

By Alicia de Artola

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. (Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. (Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports) /
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Jamal Murray, Nuggets
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) /

2. Denver Nuggets

The league MVP plays in the Mile High City, but the Denver Nuggets couldn’t go deep in the NBA Playoffs in 2021. They need to do something to change that.

Pairing Nikola Jokic with Damian Lillard? That’s a no-brainer.

The price would mean selling the future for the present, but Jokic is 26 and winning MVPs. If ever there was a time to go all-in, it’s now.

The Nuggets can entice the Blazers with Jamal Murray, the 24-year-old whose trajectory since being selected No. 7 overall in 2016 has been steadily rising. He averaged 21.2 points and 4.8 assists per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

The injury is a concern since Portland would have to accept the risk of adding a player recovering from a serious knee problem. Denver would have to sweeten the pot with make-weights and future draft picks.

The real question would surround Michael Porter Jr. Giving up Murray is big. Giving up Murray and Porter Jr. would be too big. Still, the Nuggets could make that offer if they were sure enough on Lillard. It would be hard to beat.

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