Trail Blazers News: Why Portland Traded Damian Lillard at Perfect Time

Matt Levine | Jul 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers trade of Damian Lillard last offseason came after the star asked out but it was still seen as a shock around the league. Sending Lilliard to the Milwaukee Bucks shifted some power to the Eastern Conference but it seems that the Trail Blazers may have dealt the star at the right time.

While Lillard is still a box-office type of player, Portland may have not gotten the same amount of return back if they had waited. Lillard is 34 years old and ended up suffering an injury in the postseason with Milwaukee.

The two sides parted ways at the right time and Portland was able to enter into a needed rebuild. Portland had been hovering around the middle tier of the NBA for years so moving Lillard was best for the long-term. 

Lillard averaged 23.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in his first year with the Bucks. He helped them get to the postseason and Milwaukee will likely be more formidable with Lillard heading into his second season with the team. 

The veteran guard will always be special to the Portland organization but the move also gave the younger players on the roster more time to shine on the court so that the Trail Blazers could evaluate them better. Portland now has a group of players that they can build with toward the future.

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