One Year Later, Blazers' Damian Lillard Trade Gets an Incomplete Grade

John Robinson | Sep 30, 2024

Jan 31, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) embraces Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) after a game at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

On September 27 2023 the Portland Trail Blazers cut ties with All-Star point guard Damian Lillard after an 11-year as the hero in 'Rip City'.

Damian Lillard would be featured in a three-way trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard Jrue Holiday, the Bucks’ first-round pick in 2029, and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. The Phoenix Suns received Grayson Allen from Milwaukee and center Jusuf Nurkic, along with forward Nassir Little and guard Keon Johnson from the Blazers. The Suns would send Portland Deandre Ayton and second-round rookie forward Toumani Camara,

It is hard to give the blockbuster trade a grade because the fruits of the transaction have not been fully realized yet. Lillard and the Bucks are still chasing that allusive Larry O'Brien Trophy, while the Trail Blazers are trying to rebuild their roster for the future.

Since trading Lillard and company the Blazers have flipped that into Ayton, Camara, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, three first-round picks (one in 2024 and two in 2029), and two pick swaps from the Bucks (2028, 2030).

The Blazers aimed to trade Brogdon, the 2022-23 sixth man of the year, in exchange for at least a first-round draft pick or potentially a young, skilled player. Williams was expected to either serve as a backup to Ayton or be traded for draft assets.

At the time of the trades, Blazers general manager Joe Cronin assessed Ayton as a top-five center and indicated that he could serve as a crucial foundational piece for the future. This plan may change after the organization decided to draft the University of Connecticut center Donovan Clingan.

With the 2025 draft expected to be one the most loaded classes in recent memory, the Trail Blazers could elect to go all in on their youth movement and trade Ayton to a contender while receiving draft capital in return. Now the final two months of the 2023-24 season, Ayton played like a top-five center averaging 25 points and 15 rebounds during that stretch.

In order to make a final verdict on the Lillard trade, there will have to be a grace period for Portland as they try to construct a championship-contending team. The first two seasons post Lillard's departure won't be a good measuring stick to determine whether or not the trade was worth it.

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