3 reasons the Blazers should trade Damian Lillard to the Heat and 2 reasons they shouldn’t
By Jakob Ashlin
Reasons the Blazers should trade Damian Lillard to the Heat: 3. The new CBA
The NBA implemented a new CBA, and it will drastically change roster management. In particular, the new deal will make superstar trades more difficult. The CBA establishes a second tax apron ($17.5 million over the luxury tax). Second-apron teams cannot trade their first-round draft picks seven years out, and they cannot send out players in a sign-and-trade. Most importantly, they cannot aggregate salaries in trades, beginning in 2024. For instance, a team could no longer trade two players making $15 million each for one player making $30 million.
Under the new guidelines, 10 teams would fall into the second tax apron, per Spotrac: Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat.
Moving forward, this will hinder the market value for superstars on the trade market, as contenders’ ability to be buyers will be limited. In one year, the Heat, Clippers, Bucks, and 76ers would all face major limitations to facilitating a Lillard trade, which would obviously lower his value.
In addition, teams could become more hesitant to part with first-round picks moving forward, as building through the draft becomes more appealing.
There is an argument that trading Lillard this summer is maximizing his trade value.