The Phoenix Suns’ best trade offer for Damian Lillard

PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 24: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers handles the ball against the Phoenix Suns on February 24, 2018 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Trade

This trade is elegant in it’s simplicity, yet impactful in it’s execution:

First and foremost, the key player involved is Damian Lillard. A superstar point guard who immediately fills the Phoenix Suns’ need at the position, shifting 3/5’s of the lineup over to each individual player’s traditional and natural positions, and giving the franchise the additional star power it so desperately needs.

The Portland Trailblazers acquire a package of young players, which does initially cause a shift in their starters’ traditional positions as of now. In particular, C.J. McCollum (who is currently their starting shooting guard) would move over to point while Josh Jackson would become their starting two, although T.J. Warren would replace the lesser combination of Evan Turner and Al-Farouq Aminu, neither of whom have either the current scoring power as Warren, nor the potential star power of Josh Jackson.

The Phoenix Suns also send over two first round picks, neither of which will probably prove to be high picks, although even if this exact trade were to occur prior to the start of the regular season, the likelihood of the Suns missing the playoffs is still high, therefore not only will their own pick probably be a lottery, but with it, the odds of becoming a top-three pick. still remain.

One additional wrinkle to the trade could be added: should neither pick become a lottery pick, the Blazers could ask for, and if I were the Suns I would happily oblige, a third first round pick, sometime in the early 2020s.

Obviously no team can go two seasons without owning a first round pick of some kind, so if both original picks happen to transfer in 2019, then the third pick could be moved no sooner than 2021.

Darrell Arthur is included because according to the ESPN Trade Machine, the Phoenix Suns cannot absorb Lillard’s contact without trading away Arthur, who currently remains on the roster. Should this very trade occur after Arthur is potentially cut in the future, then he can be replaced by Ryan Anderson so long as the move occurs after October 31st.