76ers Rival Watch: Is Damian Lillard Open to Joining Raptors?

Last week, it was revealed that Damian Lillard had a mystery suitor in the Eastern Conference. One report speculated it was the Chicago Bulls who had eyes on the Portland Trail Blazers All-Star. Another report threw the Toronto Raptors’ name in the mix. Suddenly, there’s no longer a mystery team looming. Whether Marc Spears’ hint alluded to the Raptors or the Bulls being the mystery team, it seems everybody has accepted that both squads are players in the market for Lillard. Now, the question is just how interested are they? WHAT’S HOLDING A DEAL BACK? Damian Lillard is a seven-time All-Star who has been reluctant to get traded over the last few seasons despite being a key target for several teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers during the pre-James Harden stint.

Finally on the block and open to a change of scenery, Lillard’s move is taking a lot longer than anybody could’ve imagined. When the Trail Blazers guard entered the 2023 offseason, there was a ton of smoke surrounding a possible trade request from the All-Star guard once again. After the Blazers used their top draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, rather than trading it away for win-now assets, Lillard made the ultimate decision to request a trade. Months later, he’s still a member of the Blazers.

The worst-kept secret in the NBA currently is that Lillard strongly desires to play for the Miami Heat. So much so the seven-time All-Star and his camp received a warning from the NBA to stop pushing the narrative that he wouldn’t embrace playing for any other team. To no surprise, teams grew hesitant to make an offer for Lillard, knowing his heart is set in Miami. ARE THE RAPTORS FOR REAL? The Toronto Raptors are frequent suitors for every big name in the league. Like a handful of other teams across the NBA, Toronto is always doing its due diligence in the trade market. While that always tosses their name in the mix, the level of interest they have in certain prospects always comes into question. According to Marc Stein, teams around the league have been convinced the Raptors are serious suitors in the Lillard saga. The NBA Insider noted their interest is believed to be “genuine.” Unfortunately for the Raptors, Lillard’s feelings are not exactly mutual.

“The uncertainty at this point stems more from gauging Toronto’s true willingness to push all the way forward with its Lillard pursuit when it’s believed that the All-Star guard, behind the scenes, remains so resistant to the idea of becoming a Raptor,” Stein wrote late last week. Despite being Lillard’s dream destination, Miami reportedly hasn’t had any real negotiations with Portland since the summertime. While NBA Insiders have cautioned the idea that the Heat are out on Lillard at this point, it’s still notable that Lillard is believed to be against the idea of playing for anybody other than the Heat at this time.

The interesting factor is that the Raptors have been in this position before. In 2018, their pursuit of Kawhi Leonard came as a shock, considering it was apparent the former San Antonio Spurs draft pick did not desire to land in Toronto for the final season of his expiring contract. Ultimately, the Raptors’ decision to snag Leonard as a one-year rental paid off, as they went on to win the 2019 NBA Finals. The Lillard situation isn’t identical, but the similarities in the scenario make it seem as if the Raptors are legitimate threats to the Heat, who seem to believe they are on easy street to landing Lillard in the end.

As we enter the final week before training camp, we’ll soon see if Lillard becomes a direct competitor of the Sixers or not.