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Fresh off their first-round sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets may be in the hunt for a new star. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Portland Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard is a potential target for Brooklyn:
“If Lillard and Portland decide a parting of ways is best for both sides, multiple NBA executives believe the Nets could be a suitor for the All-Star guard,” Scotto wrote on Twitter.
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The Blazers are coming off another disappointing season after finishing just 33-49 (13th in the West). Meanwhile, Damian Lillard is already 32 and has made it known that he isn’t interested in being part of a rebuild.
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“I don't have much of an appetite for building with guys two and three years away and not really go after it,” Lillard said earlier this month.
All of this has led to increased speculation that "Dame Time" could request a trade this offseason.
Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 4.2 3-pointers per game on 46.3% shooting over 58 games this season. He will be making $45.6 million next season followed by $48.8 million in the 2024-25 season and $58.5 million in the 2025-26 season.
In addition, Lillard has a $63.2 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
What would it take for the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Damian Lillard?
According to an NBA executive who spoke with HoopsHype, Damian Lillard would be a very good fit with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets have multiple win-now pieces, most notably up-and-coming wings Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson and big man Nic Claxton. However, the executive noted that it may be difficult for Brooklyn to obtain Lillard without giving up a large number of draft picks.
“Dame would be the leader (the Nets) need,” the executive said.
“I’m just not sure they have the pieces to get him, but they should try. The picks they have coming in aren’t great. It would probably take Ben Simmons’ contract to make the numbers work, but you’d have to attach picks to him on top of the picks you need for Lillard.”
Another executive added that Lillard could be worth two first-round picks and a good young prospect:
“I can see the Nets going for Dame, but he’s older, and that contract is so high,” the executive said.
“He could be worth a couple of firsts and a good young player.”
Brooklyn has multiple future first-round picks at their disposal from both the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. These picks were acquired in the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades respectively ahead of the trade deadline.
As one of the executives pointed out, those picks are projected to be late first-rounders. The Nets also have the remaining two years, $78.2 million on former three-time All-Star point forward Ben Simmons’ contract to attach to those picks. They can throw in the likes of second-year shooting guard Cam Thomas as well.
However, it remains to be seen if the Blazers will have any interest in a Lillard trade package built around Simmons, Thomas and late first-round picks. Likewise, it remains to be seen if the Nets think the addition of Lillard would put them over the top enough to mortgage their future.
However, it appears that Lillard to Brooklyn is at least a possibility that fans should keep an eye on if he is made available this summer.
