3 Trades the Houston Rockets could make for Damian Lillard

The Houston Rockets might have had the worst record in the league but they are only a season removed from the playoffs and if they play their cards right they could be back in the playoffs in short order. However, if the Rockets want to be back in the playoffs in 2022 then they need to take a big swing and no move would be bigger than trading for Damian Lillard.

The reality remains that if Lillard does decide to leave Portland, he would want to go to a ready-made contender. The Rockets, after losing the most games in the league, don’t have the look of a contender, and convincing Lillard to come to Houston might be impossible.

However, let’s not try to get inside the mind of an NBA superstar, and instead, let’s ask, can the Houston Rockets trade for Damian Lillard? And if they can, what would that package look like?

What the Trail Blazers would want in a trade for Damian Lillard

If the Rockets were to make a move for Lillard they’d want to keep their top players so as to surround their new superstar with a championship-caliber roster. That would mean that Christian Wood and Jae’Sean Tate would be off the table, but after that, everyone else would be available.

The next question is what type of deal would the Trail Blazers be looking for? Would they want as much draft capital as possible? NBA-ready contributors? Or to clear as much cap space for the future? Fortunately, the Rockets have the ability to offer Portland a deal that can satisfy either one of those itches.

The Rockets might be a long shot to land Damian Lillard but they definitely have the ammunition to land one of the league’s best offensive players. These are three trades that the Rockets could offer the Trail Blazers to land Damian Lillard.

Next: Damian Lillard trade #3