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NBA Insider Reveals Warriors’ Deepening Interest in Trading for Damian Lillard

Published 07/12/2021, 9:41 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Warriors are itching to perform and the feeling is just increasing with every passing season. In the past decade, they built a legacy and it can soon fade away if they do not prove their worth again. So all these expectations from Steve Kerr’s team have made the upcoming off-season very crucial for them. 

In 2014-16, the Warriors’ core had Harrison Barnes & Andre Iguodala and from 2016 to 2019 they had Kevin Durant. But today, with super teams like Brooklyn Nets already around, they would need more than just Andrew Wiggins to compete for a championship. This is where the Blazers star Damian Lillard enters the picture.

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Damian Lillard to the Warriors can see the light of the day

According to a fresh report, the Warriors are very keenly pursuing the trade of Damian Lillard. As per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, “Would the Warriors get involved? Yes. They’d make a call and have already internally discussed the idea, as I’m sure most contenders have, considering the rising smoke out of Portland.”

Damian Lillard is under contract with the Blazers through the 2023-24 season with a $54 million PO for 2024-25. So pursuing Dame can prove very expensive and most teams in the race to acquire him might not have enough resources. Most, but not the Warriors.

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As Anthony further added, “Their theoretical offer would be competitive. If the Blazers decided to trade Lillard, a complete rebuild seems like the wisest path and there aren’t many better rebuilding trade packages dangling out there right now than James Wiseman, the seventh and 14th pick in the upcoming draft, plus more future firsts, attached to Andrew Wiggins as salary match filler.”

So if the Blazers are looking for a bright future, the Dubs Nation has the right mix to satisfy their needs.

NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks Might Sacrifice Promising Young Star to Secure Damian Lillard

How does the Blazers star help the GSW unit?

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Klay Thompson can make his grand return late in 2021, perhaps by December. So the Warriors would need someone other than Steph Curry and Draymond Green to keep their boat over water for the initial 20 games. This is exactly where Damian Lillard fits well.

The Blazers star, in his cryptic posts, has already hinted his inclination towards leaving Portland. Now, into his 10th season, a benchmark to receive the ‘veteran’ tag, Damian would love to join a champion side. What better than shaking hands with his ASG teammate Curry and his Olympics partner Draymond?

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The Splash Brothers would love to have someone shooting logo threes at 40% efficiency and the rest of the league would denounce. So what’s your take, do you see this happening? Help us know in the comments.

Watch this story – Steph Curry and Damian Lillard’s Record Breaking ASG 2021 Performance

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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