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3 reasons the Blazers should trade Damian Lillard to the Heat and 2 reasons they shouldn’t

By Jakob Ashlin

Nov 7, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA;Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA;Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) congratulates guard Anfernee Simons (1) after scoring a game winning basket with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports /

Reasons the Blazers shouldn’t trade Damian Lillard to the Heat: 1. Portland can still compete

Hear me out for a second. Last season, the Blazers struggled with injuries, but when healthy, they showed glimpses of potential.

With Lillard on the floor, the Blazers outscored opponents by 12.1 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. That was the eighth-highest mark in the NBA (minimum 800 minutes).

The revamped starting lineup of Lillard, Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Jerami Grant, and Jusuf Nurkic is a talented unit. Lillard, Simons, and Grant all average 20+ points per game, and Thybulle is an All-NBA defender.

However, the bench was a big problem. Last season, Portland’s second unit ranked 28th in the NBA in total plus-minus (-920). Deploying No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson in a sixth-man role would change that equation. The 19-year-old guard would be an instant mismatch against opposing benches and can play minutes alongside Lillard or Simons.

Lillard’s frustrations are warranted, but the supporting cast of Simons, Grant, Henderson, Sharpe, Thybulle, and Nurkic might be the best of his career. Remember, he made the Western Conference Finals starting alongside CJ McCollum, Maurice Harkless, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Enes Kanter.

Riding the situation out might be the best outcome for both parties here. Right now, Lillard returning to the Blazers appears to be a longshot, but remember, the Brooklyn Nets were able to get Kevin Durant to return to the team last season. On-the-court success is a real possibility, and it could be able to dissolve this standoff.

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