Report: Lakers Have Interest in Damian Lillard and Other NBA Superstars

So, apparently the Los Angeles Lakers want Damian Lillard.

According to a recent report from Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers “have interest” in the Portland Trail Blazers franchise face, along with Brooklyn Nets perennial All-Star Kevin Durant and Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal.

In other news, I’m tired of taking the bus and a new BMW would be nice. But that’s an aside, back to the topic at hand.

After listing more reasonable trade targets earlier in the piece, Buha sprinkles in Lillard and the other marquee names as fairytale options L.A. is keeping an eye on this season.

In the ultimate pie-in-the-sky scenario, the Lakers have interest in Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal if any of the three stars were to become available.

Don’t blame the messenger, it seems Buha is only passing along information he received from the Lakers front office. Though, I feel like our colleague at Silver Screen and Roll, Harrison Faigen, is a better person to quote on this subject matter. Here’s what he had to say about the Lakers’ reported interest in top-shelf talent:

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He nailed the analysis. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the Lakers also “have interest” in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Ja Morant. You can aggregate that if you’d like, I’m pretty sure it’s sound.

Of course the Lakers want Lillard, Durant and Beal! But as Faigen writes, possessing the means to land one of those guys is an entirely different subject. The best the Lakers can offer is an aging Russell Westbrook and two first-round picks.

No thanks.

Lillard is playing at an elite level again and the Blazers are trending upward with a 16-12 record. Something disastrous would have to happen at the Blazers’ company holiday party between general manager Joe Cronin and Lillard for the franchise great to “become available” (maybe too much eggnog leads to some unfiltered words during a debate about “Elf” vs. “Home Alone,” I don’t know their dynamic).

Until then, this report reads like nothing more than a Christmas Wish List that fell off its North Pole route to be read for all our amusement. Enjoy it on your Friday.