With reports beginning to emerge that Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard will soon request a trade, oddsmakers are moving quickly to take action on potential destinations. And right now, one team in particular stands out.
According to the PointsBet Sportsbook, the New York Knicks lead the early odds as “the next team Damian Lillard will play for if traded”. PointsBet is currently giving the Knicks +200 odds to be Lillard’s next team.
The Knicks are far from the prohibitive favorite though. Coming in at a close second are the Philadelphia 76ers at +250, following by the Miami Heat +300.
Rounding out the top five are the Golden State Warriors (+400) and the Los Angeles Lakers (+500). The Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder all got listed at +1000 odds or lower.
Next Team Damian Lillard Will Play For If Traded (CO Only)
-Knicks: +200
-Sixers: +250
-Heat: +300
-Warriors: +400
-Lakers: +500
-Clippers: +600
-Celtics: +900
-Raptors/Thunder: +1000— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) July 16, 2021
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Damian Lillard is a six-time All-Star and coming off two of the best seasons of his career. Over the past two seasons he’s averaged over 29 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks’ need for better guards is one of the worst-kept secrets in basketball. Combine their need at the position with a glut of young, tradeable players and assets, plus a recent playoff appearance, and you have a team that is significantly more viable now than it was a year ago.
All of this hinges on the Portland Trail Blazers being at least willing to trade Dame. So far, there’s not a whole lot to suggest they are.
But if Portland do decide to move Dame, they can probably rest easier knowing that the best offer will probably come from the Eastern Conference instead of the West.
The post Betting Odds Show 1 Favorite To Trade For Damian Lillard appeared first on The Spun.
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