Without a top three pick, Golden State Warriors have little shot at Damian Lillard

There’s no denying the Golden State Warriors should want to do everything possible to enhance their roster this offseason. They have three world-class players and just need a few more chips to fall into place.

One huge option that’s been discussed internally is trading for Blazers star guard Damian Lillard, but for now, despite the talks, this seems like a long shot as the Warriors just don’t have the assets to pull off the trade.

The Golden State Warriors may be gauging what it takes to trade for Damian Lillard, and without a top-three pick, it’s not looking likely.

While Golden State has no shortage of assets, what they have and what they’d actually trade are drastically different. Five-time All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson, three-time All-Star forward Draymond Green and two-time MVP Stephen Curry are not going anywhere.

Anything else should be up for grabs, but that may be enough to entire a team with an all-around superstar like Lillard.

Coming off a playoff series with many buzzer-beating shots, Lillard has blossomed into one of the league’s best players. He averaged over 34 points per game that grueling six-game series which ended in 4-2 defeat to Denver.

Lillard is worth it despite his lofty contract. However, the Golden State Warriors may not even come close in terms of what they can offer.

The best they’ll do is Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, their two lottery picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, and then maybe a slew of second-round picks or pick swaps to top it off. If the Warriors want a top-20 player like Bradley Beal in return, they won’t be getting it from Golden State.

Unless the Blazers get desperate and other teams aren’t willing to part ways with their valuable assets, the Warriors will have very little chance to actually get in on the action. They’ll be tied down since they likely won’t be parting ways with the Big 3.

There’s always a chance they could couple enough assets to get a top-three pick in the coming draft.

However, teams like Houston and Detroit should see the value in drafting those high-potential players like Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley instead of trading it. After all, Lillard is 30 years old and won’t have too many more seasons at the level he’s at.

For a team prepared to win a title with a Lillard addition, the Warriors should pull the trigger on a deal if it’s there. Teams like Detroit who would be in a worse situation than Portland if they added Lillard shouldn’t.

That said, in the near future, we’ll hear more on the Lillard situation, but it’s doubtful a deal gets done despite the discussions within the organization.