Insider Says Pelicans Should Make An Offer For Damian Lillard

The Damian Lillard saga for the Portland Trail Blazers continues, with the team still no closer to trading the face of the franchise ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Although Lillard has made it clear that he wants to play for the Miami Heat, the Blazers haven’t liked the trade offers coming from the reigning Eastern Conference champions and seem willing to wait it out to get a better deal from Miami or another team in the league.

One team linked to Lillard during this process is the New Orleans Pelicans, a franchise that seems eager to take the next step and is willing to shake things up to get there.

Even though there was some talk about a Lillard-Zion Williamson swap, it appears the Pelicans might now be willing to part ways with Brandon Ingram in order to bring in the Blazers superstar, as Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports reported in June.

Pelicans and Blazers should revisit this. https://t.co/1jpirhVHpv

— ? Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) August 31, 2023

At this point, it seems like anything could happen when it comes to Lillard and where he might play next season, with the team adamant about getting a good return for their best player.

Making a deal with the Pelicans makes sense, with New Orleans having some intriguing pieces to include in a trade, especially if the team is willing to move Ingram, who’d be a nice fit alongside rookie guard Scoot Henderson.

Even though it is pretty quiet for the time being, trade talks and rumors are bound to ramp up in the weeks ahead as the start of NBA training camps draws near.

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Brandon Ingram Reveals His Thoughts On Playing A Reserve Role For Team USA