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A potential blockbuster trade that involves pairing Damian Lillard with Zion Williamson at the New Orleans Pelicans looks like a good proposition on paper.
After all, Lillard is a proven winner with a knack for making clutch plays, while Williamson is the type of superstar talent the six-time All-Star has not had as a teammate in his career. LaMarcus Aldridge comes closest, but Zion Williamson’s ceiling is much higher.
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A point guard-power forward combo like this could rival the Utah Jazz’s John Stockton-Karl Malone tandem that terrorized the league from the 80s to the 90s.
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But it’s not as simple a trade scenario as it seems, particularly because of the impact it could have on both teams’ futures and Damian Lillard’s as well.
Brandon Ingram would be centerpiece in a trade package for Damian Lillard
An NBA rumor from Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson says that the New Orleans Pelicans are willing to give up Brandon Ingram to acquire Damian Lillard.
The Portland Trail Blazers will likely ask for a package centered around Ingram in return. It will be outright robbery if the Blazers don’t receive a blue-chip player like Ingram from the Pels.
Additionally, Ingram’s salary would be necessary to make this trade work, and a player or two to make the numbers work aside from a few draft pick swaps.
On that note, here are three reasons why this would be a no-win scenario for Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans:
#1 It leaves Portland Trail Blazers in a compete vs tank dilemma
If the Portland Trail Blazers receive Ingram and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, for example, the two players could be good pieces that would help them compete for the playoffs. But they still wouldn’t be championship contenders.
In fact, they could easily end up in the same situation they had with Damian Lillard on the roster: a mediocre team with good players. It means they’re neither good enough to compete for a championship nor bad enough to be a lottery team.
They could make a lot of noise in the regular season, but they aren’t going anywhere in the postseason with the squad they have.
Should they decide to rebuild around their new star, the Blazers might be caught in a conflict of interest with Ingram, who may not be keen on being a part of another rebuilding situation. At best, he leaves them in 2025 when he becomes a free agent, but at worst, he could force his way out of the Blazers.
Whether they try to compete in the postseason or rebuild, Portland will be losers either way with this trade of Damian Lillard for Ingram.
#2 New Orleans Pelicans have a lot to lose if things don't work out
Damian Lillard has four years on the contract extension he signed that will pay him $39.3 million next season, giving the New Orleans Pelicans four seasons to work with him.
But acquiring him could cripple them in the long run if they lose young assets like Ingram and possibly receive lower draft picks that could derail their chances of being a contender in the future.
In order to contend for the title, GM Trajan Langdon and executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin will have to find new homes for Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams, who combine for $35 million in salaries, at the earliest. That’s not an easy task considering that the Pelicans will likely have to attach other assets, which they cannot afford to, in order to move either of the two players.
Even with Damian Lillard and Williamson in tow, the Pels don’t have enough talent around their roster to compete. Moreover, that doesn’t solve the New Orleans Pelicans’ defensive issues. If anything, they’ll be better offensively but not necessarily become a better team.
And if they don’t compete for the title or get within sniffing distance of a championship in the next two or three years, the New Orleans Pelicans could see Damian Lillard leave them with nothing to show after his contract is up.
#3 New Orleans Pelicans are not necessarily a better destination for Damian Lillard
The New Orleans Pelicans at the moment, are nowhere near being championship contenders. Right now, they are still hoping to get back in the playoff hunt next season.
Damian Lillard will help facilitate that, but that’s not what the veteran guard is hoping to accomplish at this stage of his career.
He’ll be turning 31 next month, and he is approaching the tail end of his prime years. His chances of winning his first title are dwindling, so a trade to the New Orleans Pelicans won’t help facilitate his championship dreams coming true.
The fact is, Damian Lillard will be entering a situation where there is a conflict of interest between him and the New Orleans Pelicans. Lillard is on a championship hunt, but the Pelicans are looking to build on young talent that could help them compete in the playoffs. Though a title is the ultimate goal of the franchise, they don’t have the pieces yet that could help get them there.
Suffice to say, Damian Lillard and the New Orleans Pelicans are headed in different directions at this stage. If their paths cross in a season or two, with the Pels potentially having a championship contender in place, that might be the time they could revisit a collaboration of this nature.
Until then, though, a trade that brings Damian Lillard to the New Orleans Pelicans doesn’t help anyone.
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