There’s a lot of smoke in league circles about Blazers-Raptors talks [for Damian Lillard]. Toronto’s interest, I believe, is genuine. They have young pieces (OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes), big contracts and enough draft capital to make an enticing offer. And it doesn’t sound like Masai Ujiri & Co. are too worried about Lillard’s publicly expressed desire to play in Miami. Remember, when the deal for Kawhi Leonard went down, Leonard reportedly didn’t want any part of it. Look how that worked out. That said, I don’t get it. Logistically it’s extremely challenging. In 2018, when Toronto acquired Leonard, the cost was DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected first-round pick. Steep, but manageable (obviously) given what the Raptors had. -via Sports Illustrated / September 26, 2023
