Brooklyn Nets
Considering that the Brooklyn Nets were originally named as a potential landing spot when it was first rumored that Damian Lillard possibly wanted out, I think it would be quite dubious to completely disregard the Nets’ chances of sneaking into the Lillard sweepstakes. If the Portland Trail Blazers open up the bidding war to teams not named the Miami Heat, the Nets would probably be close to the top of the list.
The Nets have exactly what the Blazers would be looking for in an ideal return for Lillard. They have intriguing young players that could help the team’s rebuild and practically an unlimited amount of future first-round draft picks that they could send in a package. If they can get Lillard to soften his reported stance on the Heat or nothing, you can easily see how the Nets could theoretically pry Lillard away from Miami.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that would happen. I suppose ultimately it may come down to this – does Lillard truly believe that a trio of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Lillard is good enough to compete for an NBA Championship? It may not be as clear as you believe it to be. And it may not beat Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in Lillard’s head.