Damian Lillard went to mattress on Monday evening trapped on a sinking ship. He was a member of a Milwaukee Bucks group desperately attempting to reshape its roster to appease Antetokounmpo with out him, as Lillard will presumably miss most or the entire 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. Within the best-case state of affairs, he and Antetokounmpo could be combating an uphill battle to contend upon his eventual return. Worst-case, Antetokounmpo would leap overboard and depart Lillard, on a large contract, to languish on a group he by no means actually needed to play for.
However Milwaukee’s stunning acquisition of Myles Turner gave Lillard a reprieve. He’s now a free agent able to choosing not solely the place he performs subsequent, however when. He is getting paid for the subsequent two years both approach. If he desires to sit down out and recuperate, he can accomplish that. If he desires to see how the yr performs out and probably be part of a contender in the course of the season, that is an choice as effectively. Actually any group with a roster spot is a believable choice. No matter he indicators for over the subsequent two years is simply offset by what Milwaukee owes him, so he has no cause to ask for something greater than the minimal.
So with all of that in thoughts… the place ought to Lillard head subsequent? We’re wanting largely at contenders right here. Ideally, they would not should depend on him as a full-time starter within the subsequent two years, however they need to have a meaty position accessible for him if he proves able to filling it after his damage. Listed below are 5 groups to remember.
No, Portland most likely is not the everlasting vacation spot if Lillard plans to contend. Nevertheless, a really transient, year-long pit cease again at his outdated stomping grounds really makes numerous sense for Lillard. His household is in Portland. That is seemingly the place he would like to rehab from his torn Achilles. If he indicators a one-year, minimum-salary contract in Portland, he might do it underneath the supervision of a group medical workers he seemingly is aware of and trusts from his time with the Blazers. The 2 sides might even agree as a part of the deal that if Lillard appears to be like able to play by mid-season, the Blazers would waive him and let him be part of a contender instantly.
So, why would Portland do that? Effectively, to fix fences, for one. Few gamers are extra beloved by a single fanbase than Lillard is by Portland’s. Their 2023 breakup was considerably acrimonious, so probably repairing the connection with a franchise icon could be good. Nevertheless, we also needs to observe that Portland simply traded for a 35-year-old Jrue Holiday ostensibly partially to mentor younger guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Effectively, if that is a precedence in Portland, would not having Lillard within the constructing as he recovers be useful for them as effectively? Even when he by no means performs one other recreation as a Blazer, Portland might intangibly profit from his presence.
As of proper now, the Blazers are round $18 million under the luxury-tax line with two roster spots open after shopping for out Deandre Ayton. That is greater than sufficient cash for them to make use of the total non-taxpayer mid-level exception on somebody they really plan to make use of and nonetheless retain sufficient to signal Lillard for the minimal with out turning into a tax group. Perhaps Lillard would not need to connect himself to a group but, but when he’ll recuperate in Portland anyway, this might make some sense for either side.
We most likely should acknowledge Miami as a suitor right here simply given how badly Lillard needed to hitch the Warmth in 2023. Miami is reportedly going to have an interest this time round as effectively, in keeping with the AP’s Tim Reynolds. Given Miami’s normal monitor document in terms of well being and conditioning, it might be a reasonably good place to rehab a significant damage. Nevertheless, rather a lot has modified since 2023.
For starters, Jimmy Butler is not on the group. When Lillard needed to go to Miami again then, he was anticipating to hitch a reigning Jap Convention champion with Butler and Bam Adebayo. Now Butler is gone and Andrew Wiggins is in his place. In the meantime, Tyler Herro, who nearly definitely would have been in Lillard commerce two summers in the past, was simply an All-Star. He and Lillard, particularly post-Achilles Lillard, wouldn’t be a defensively viable beginning backcourt, nevertheless it’s arduous to think about the Warmth buying and selling Herro elsewhere for protection to facilitate such a high-risk addition.
So the Warmth are within the combine, after all. They nearly all the time are for gamers of this stature. Nevertheless it’s not the slam dunk it might have been two years in the past. At this level, Lillard can most likely discover higher matches elsewhere.
As an example cash and match aren’t a difficulty for a second. Your sole aim is to win a championship within the subsequent a number of years. The place would you need to be? The plain reply could be “on the Oklahoma City Thunder,” however they’ve a full roster and sure see no nice want to herald a high-risk veteran. Your subsequent alternative could be “Victor Wembanyama’s group,” however the Spurs have already got a guard glut with De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle. So the place would you go after that? Your two finest bets are “Nikola Jokić’s group” and “the Jap Convention.”
Let’s desk the East for a second (we’ll get again to it!) and concentrate on Jokić. No, Lillard wouldn’t begin in Denver. Jamal Murray is entrenched at level guard and so they want Christian Braun‘s protection subsequent to him. Nevertheless, what they confirmed with Russell Westbrook final season was a willingness to offer main minutes to and even shut some video games with a backup level guard on the ground. The identical scenario might apply to Lillard. He’d be part of the group with a baseline of 15 or 20 minutes assured per recreation, however when he is enjoying effectively or matchups dictate it, he might simply play extra. Given Murray’s damage historical past, having a backup able to beginning and delivering in a high-usage position means fairly a bit for the Nuggets.
In case your aim is to win a title, enjoying with one of the best participant on this planet makes numerous sense. Denver took a significant step ahead by swapping Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson on Monday, however bringing in Lillard would give them sufficient upside to actually threaten Oklahoma Metropolis within the playoffs. They took the Thunder to seven final yr regardless of barely having any supporting offense. Lillard would clearly have an opportunity to repair that if wholesome, whether or not that is this yr or subsequent.
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See, I advised you we might circle again to the East. Realistically, you may toss any Jap Convention contender into the combo right here. The Knicks simply signed Jordan Clarkson to be their bench scorer. He might maintain Lillard’s seat heat whereas he recovers. The Magic have wanted some extent guard and a fringe scoring menace for years. They addressed each wants this offseason with Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones. Why not double down and nab Lillard for the minimal if he is ? Boston simply gave up Vacation. Perhaps Lillard and Jayson Tatum might rehabilitate their Achilles tears collectively and attempt to take the league by storm as teammates in 2026.
These are all considerably viable choices, however Cleveland, the convention favourite, stands out. The Cavaliers simply misplaced Sixth Man of the Yr candidate Ty Jerome to the Grizzlies in free company as a result of he bought too costly. You already know who is not going to be costly? Lillard. You already know who would thrive in a 20-minute “simply go get a bunch of buckets and house the ground” position? Lillard. You already know who spent his whole profession ready to play with the type of measurement, wing depth and scoring assist the Cavaliers have to supply? Lillard.
Cleveland did simply commerce for Lonzo Ball, however he is extra of a transition level guard than a half-court level guard. He can defend just about any guard, so there’s not a lot overlap there. Cleveland most likely would not need too many minutes with each Lillard and Darius Garland on the ground given their measurement and defensive limitations, however that is a solvable downside. Cleveland has no different path to this degree of expertise with solely the minimal to spend, so it might be a really worthy gamble for them if Lillard had been .
Is there a contender on the market who would clearly have a beginning job accessible for Lillard? Minnesota makes essentially the most sense on that entrance. Mike Conley continues to be right here, however he is 37 and declining. Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon are each within the constructing as doable long-term replacements, however neither are prepared to begin but and neither are ideally suited to play level guard both. Each time Lillard is in the end wholesome, be that on the finish of this yr or the start of subsequent, Minnesota would seemingly be positioned to ensure him a beginning job. If that is a precedence, the Timberwolves have a bonus.
The slot in Minnesota could be comparatively seamless. Anthony Edwards is the first scorer, so Lillard might ease again right into a higher-usage position with time. Edwards and Jaden McDaniels are such robust perimeter defenders that Lillard might cover on the simplest doable matchup. Rudy Gobert can cowl up his errors on the rim, and there is loads of depth right here in case he is by no means fairly as much as a typical starter’s minutes load once more. Hardly ever do stars need to reside in Minnesota, however hey, Lillard was joyful in Portland for years, so possibly he is the exception.