PORTLAND, OREGON – JUNE 03: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts after his three … [+]
News of the Damian Lillard trade rocked the NBA on Wednesday as Portland traded its longtime franchise anchor to Milwaukee in a massive blockbuster which also included the Phoenix Suns. Among others, Portland received Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton in the swap that has the Bucks positioned as the favorites to come out of the East.
It’s been known all along the Miami Heat were Lillard’s preferred trade destination with the two sides at a stalemate all summer. Per reporting from the Athletic on Thursday, “once Lillard was convinced that joining the Heat was virtually impossible, sources briefed on the discussions say he became open to the prospect of playing for the Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets.” Had Lillard somehow landed in Brooklyn, the deal could have had ramifications for the Houston Rockets, owners of the Nets’ draft picks in 2024 and 2026, and the right to swap picks in 2025 and 2027, all as a result of the James Harden trade back in 2021.
As it stands, Brooklyn, as currently constructed, with a roster headlined by Mikal Bridges and Ben Simmons is a likely lottery team or a bottom Eastern Conference seed. Adding Lillard to the mix could have drastically altered the range of Brooklyn’s potential outcomes over the next few seasons.
At the time, the trade return was widely criticized with Houston opting to favor Brooklyn’s pick-heavy package in return for Harden over a package offered by Philadelphia reportedly including, ironically enough, Simmons. Few would argue now that the Rockets made the right choice with the #17 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Tari Eason, earning All-Rookie honors, and representing the first returns on the trade for Houston. Simmons’ career, on the other hand, has completely nosedived with many wondering if he will ever play meaningful minutes again.
The near-Lillard trade represents the dilemma for Houston in holding ownership of Brooklyn’s future. Much of the value inherent in the assets is the uncertainty over Brooklyn’s future. Once that future becomes clearer—like with a trade for a superstar like Lillard—the value of the picks depreciates. The question for Rockets general manager Rafael Stone then is for how long should he hold on or when should he cash in his chips.
In a very short period of time, Stone has assembled an impressive roster of young talent, headlined by recent lottery picks in Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson, and supplemented by Alperen Sengun, Eason, and Cam Whitmore. Observers in Houston have taken to referring to that group as “the Core 6.” This is all to say that there isn’t much space for incoming rookies going forward if the Rockets just opted to hold onto the picks, as they did in 2022, and make the selections themself.
Thus, a consolidation trade for a star for Houston to acquire would make a ton of sense, but someone has to become available. It’s a situation worth watching.