Damian Lillard Rumors: Bradley Beal Trade Wouldn't Improve Satisfaction with Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping to build a roster this offseason that would keep star point guard Damian Lillard happy, but one of the most coveted players on the trade market reportedly would not fulfill that goal.

According to Matt Moore of Action Network, Lillard's outlook of the franchise would not be changed by acquiring star shooting guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards.

"The Wizards' preferred target in Beal talks was the No. 3 pick from Portland, but multiple league sources have indicated not just recently but consistently for months that Beal is not a player who would increase Lillard's satisfaction with the franchise," Moore stated.

The Blazers earned the No. 3 pick in Thursday's NBA draft after finishing with a 33-49 record this past season and missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. While Lillard is one of the best point guards in the league, he doesn't have enough help around him for Portland to be competitive against elite teams in the league.

The 32-year-old has openly expressed his frustration with the state of the Blazers franchise, saying in March that he's not interested in being a part of a rebuild at this stage in his career. If Portland chooses to hold on to its first-round pick, the player chosen likely will not be the difference-maker the team needs to vault into title contention next season.

While Beal would be a more dependable commodity than a rookie, it's understandable why Lillard doesn't see him as the type of player who would put the Blazers over the top.

Both of them play a similar style as high-usage, ball-dominant guards who are used to being the primary offensive option. Adding Beal also wouldn't do much to improve Portland's defensive issues after the team surrendered 117.4 points per game last season, which ranked 23rd in the NBA.

It will be interesting to see what avenues the Blazers take in order to try to keep Lillard satisfied going forward.