How a Damian Lillard-Bulls trade can give the Lakers a third superstar

The Damian Lillard trade saga has dominated most of the 2023 NBA offseason. Lillard made it abundantly clear that he wanted to be traded to the Miami Heat and as time went on, the chances of that trade happening continued to shrink. When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Christian Wood (who was reportedly waiting for a Lillard-Heat trade to sign with Miami), many accepted that a deal would not happen any time soon.

That being said, speculation around a Lillard trade has ramped up in recent days with training camp right around the corner. This time it is not the Heat, though, as the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls have been named as two potential suitors for a Lillard trade.

As NBA fans are well aware, one massive trade like this can start a domino effect that impacts the rest of the league. And while the Lakers are not directly involved, Lillard being traded to the Bulls could actually have a massive positive impact on the Lake Show.

How a Damian Lillard-Bulls trade could help the Lakers:

First, we have to understand the framework of what a potential Bulls’ trade for Lillard would look like. It seems unlikely that Portland would want Zach LaVine and his massive contract in return for Lillard. Instead, Chicago would likely have to trade another big-name player who is on an expiring deal, DeMar DeRozan.

The framework of a Lillard trade to the Bulls would likely look something like this (not including the draft picks that Chicago would have to send):

Chicago would have to trade 3-4 future first-round picks in addition to what is already being traded to get Portland to budge. But just in terms of contracts and players, this is the most logical foundation to get Lillard to Chicago.

So how does this help the Lakers? Well, while Portland’s roster would be solid, this is not a team that is going to contend for a championship this season. DeRozan will come to Portland and play the first half of the season there but would undoubtedly be floated on the trade market by the time the deadline rolls around.

Los Angeles has been tied to DeRozan in the past and as a half-season flier, he would be a great addition to this team to make a title push. The Lakers have the resources to pull off a trade as well, making this possibility an enticing one.

The Lakers have all but confirmed that D’Angelo Russell will be at least shopped at some point in the future and at $28.7 million this season, DeRozan’s contract is very obtainable. Russell could be packages with Taurean Prince and picks, or Jalen Hood-Schifino and another throwaway contract (likely with a pick), to make the deal happen.

This is a win-win for Portland. The team gets its initial return on Lillard before the season and can parlay that into more draft capital from a team like the Lakers. Russell doesn’t have to be part of the long-term plan and he has a player option after the season anyway. He may opt-out and look to sign with a true contender after the year.

Even if DeRozan is not available, the Lakers could potentially even try to reunite with Alex Caruso as well. Either way, Portland serving as the middleman in this situation is a great way for the Lakers to make key additions at the deadline, improving the team’s title odds in the process.