The forward would likely become a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden if he could stay healthy, especially when he unleashed a rim-rattling dunk in a key moment.Īnother possibility is Lillard remains in Portland and the team looks to surround him with more win-now pieces. The Knicks would give Lillard in particular a spotlight that he has never had in Portland, and it wouldn't be difficult to envision them challenging for a deep playoff run with him leading the way after reaching the second round this past season.Ī deep playoff run could also happen with Williamson, as he and Jalen Brunson could work in pick-and-rolls with the Duke product as a rim-runner. That is plenty of draft capital to choose from, and it could look to move some of those picks along with a player or two in a Lillard or Williamson trade. The New York Knicks can never be counted out when it comes to superstar landing spots, which makes them a potential destination for both Lillard and Williamson.Īs RealGM breaks down, New York has 2024 first-round picks from the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards (with some protections), as well as a 2025 one from the Milwaukee Bucks. Such an addition would put championship-or-bust expectations on the 76ers, but they may finally have enough talent to break through once the second round arrives. Lillard would be an ideal fit, and opposing defenses would be caught in nightmarish situations having to extend beyond the arc to account for his shooting all while dealing with Embiid in the frontcourt. James Harden has a player option for next season and could look to move elsewhere this offseason, which would immediately put Philadelphia in the market for a playmaking guard who could play a two-man game with Embiid. The Heat aren't the only Eastern Conference team that could use a bump come championship time, as the Philadelphia 76ers have failed to make it past the second round throughout the Joel Embiid era. Lillard would provide that elite talent that has been missing. Miami has made three of the last four Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals during that span, but it has not had enough elite talent around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to put it over the top. The Miami Heat jump out as the most obvious landing spot after Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes previously reported the reigning Eastern Conference champions were focused on the seven-time All-Star since there is "genuine belief this could be the offseason the veteran guard seeks a change of scenery." It seems like he will take his time deciding what he wants to push for this offseason, as Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Thursday (h/t RealGM) that "the timeline for when the future will land with Damian Lillard likely extends now between tonight and the start of free agency and into free agency." He is the type of foundational player a rebuilding club can use as a cornerstone as it looks toward the future, but the 32-year-old Lillard surely isn't interested in a multi-year project at this stage of his career. While Henderson is an excellent player with sky-high potential, he is also just 19 years old.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |