NBA Trade Talk: Damian Lillard To The Lakers Before The Trade Deadline
The Los Angeles Lakers have an entirely different look to them for this NBA season, and the primary reason for that is LeBron James. There is little doubt that they will be an improved ball club over the last few years, but do they have all of the pieces necessary for a championship? According to a few ESPN personalities, there is still something missing and before the trade deadline, Damian Lillard could fill in that void.
LeBron James is currently the leader among a series of talented, but very young and inexperienced, NBA players. The LA Lakers are going to have to work very hard to stay competitive in an extremely strong Western Conference, but they have someone who can guide them in the right direction.
Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley bring some veteran experience to the club, but they’re not the true superstars that can bring a ring. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram have it in them to be legends in the NBA, but they need experience and have to learn how to grow.
LeBron James needs help if he’s going to get the Lakers into the playoffs and he’ll need even more to get them to the NBA Finals. According to Fadeaway World, Bill Simmons of ESPN believes that help is coming in the form of Damian Lillard and it will happen before the NBA trade deadline this season.
Simmons recently said that he has seen a number of signs pointing to the Los Angeles Lakers wanting to trade for Damian Lillard. The Portland Trail Blazers were swept by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the NBA playoffs last season, and the frustration within the franchise was obvious.
If the first half of the season does not end up going as the Lakers had hoped, or if they just need a little extra push, the move could be made. According to Vegas betting odds, if the Lakers make that trade, they could acquire Lillard for a combination of Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Of course, this is all speculation at this time, but it’s not out of the question. It’s not like Lillard would be opposed to the move as he loves Portland, but ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith stated he wouldn’t mind a move to Los Angeles.
Stephen A. Smith says on First Take that Damian Lillard would want to go to the #Knicks or #Lakers. Would go on to say he would take NY over LA. #NBA pic.twitter.com/PPsz4oxN9b
— Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) August 16, 2018
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are looking forward to a new season and hopefully, much more success than the franchise has had in recent years. Lonzo Ball was thought to be the future of the Lakers with LeBron James as a veteran mentor, but what if they want to win now? If that’s the case and things don’t go well early in the season, a trade with the Blazers for Damian Lillard isn’t out of the question.
