How can Washington Wizards get involved in a Lillard-to-Raptors trade?
By Cem Yolbulan
The never-ending Damian Lillard saga is heating up once again. The Portland Trail Blazers seemingly want to get this deal done before the training camp to avoid unnecessary drama. Even though the favorites to land Lillard were the Miami Heat the entire offseason, the latest reporting suggests that the Toronto Raptors have emerged as a serious candidate to trade for the seven-time All-NBA guard.
Lillard’s massive contract, combined with the new collective bargaining agreement, however, makes construction of any trade difficult. It requires multiple players and loads of picks. That’s why the Washington Wizards could get involved as a third team to facilitate a deal and end up with future assets.
The Portland Trail Blazers would likely want to get off of Jusuf Nurkic’s three-year, $54 million contract in a potential Lillard trade. The problem here is that the team trading for Lillard -Toronto Raptors in this case- won’t want to take on Nurkic’s contract because of tax implications. Therefore, a third team like the Wizards could come in and absorb Nurkic’s salary in exchange for a young player or a draft pick.
A potential deal that makes sense for all sides could look like this:
Toronto Raptors receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers receive: Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick, Gary Trent Jr, Chris Boucher, Daniel Gafford, and two first-round picks from Toronto
Washington Wizards receive: Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick from Toronto
The Raptors end up with Lillard for the hefty price of Barnes, Dick, Trent Jr, Boucher and three first-round picks. The Blazers get a fantastic return of promising young players and draft picks. The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, add an extra first-round pick to its asset cabinet in exchange for Gafford and taking on Nurkic. Considering Lillard and Siakam’s age, a first-round pick from the Raptors in the future could prove very valuable.
This is obviously a template for a trade. The number of draft picks going each way could change depending on the players involved. Sides may prefer to involve OG Anunoby or more picks instead of Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick. The Wizards may prefer to receive a young player of intrigue instead of a future first-rounder.
Regardless of what the exact machinations of this potential three-team trade would be, it makes conceptual sense for the teams involved. Taking on unwanted contracts in exchange for future draft picks is a strategy that the Wizards should consider throughout this rebuilding period. It could start with Jusuf Nurkic.
