Damian Lillard is likely on the move this offseason. While all of NBA Twitter speculates on his next destination, Lillard spoke with Showtime about his preferred places to play.
While the Celtics, Knicks, Heat and Nets have all be rumored to be in on the "Dame Time" Sweepstakes, Lillard set the record straight once and for all.
Damian Lillard says Miami is ‘obviously’ his first choice over Boston, New York and Brooklyn in a hypothetical trade
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 7, 2023
“Bam is my dawg”
(Via @Showtime ) pic.twitter.com/9XhBZq3kIp
It shouldn't come as a shock to Nets or Heat fans, but it definitely confirms prior suspicions that Lillard will be on the move from the Pacific Northwest. Lillard's close relationship with Bam Adebajo in South Beach and Mikal Bridges in Brooklyn will definitely be a factor this summer.
At the end of the day, the Trailblazers won't simply move Lillard to his preferred destination without getting a haul of picks and young assets for him. Another team to keep an eye on his Philadelphia as James Harden looks to have one foot in the door and one foot moving towards a reunion with Houston as a free agent.
Should Harden bolt, a package centered on Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and picks might be enough to entice Portland to move their franchise cornerstone. The Sixers will need to scramble to keep Joel Emiid happy and bringing in a costar to potentially replace Harden is a good start.
This will be a very intriguing offseason for the Nets, who are caught in limbo between being a rebuilding team and a true contender. While Lillard can push them toward contending status, he alone won't put them over the top and Sean Marks will need to make additional moves if Brooklyn hopes to rise to the top of the Eastern Conference.