Lakers Rumors: Buzz on Damian Lillard Trade and Offseason Signings

The Los Angeles Lakers will have to do without a couple of key players over the next few games. Rajon Rondo and Brandon Ingram were suspended three and four games, respectively, for their part in a fight involving the Houston Rockets' Chris Paul Saturday night. The Lakers ultimately lost that game and are now 0-2 to start the LeBron James era. 

The Lakers might be down a couple players, but down by the rumor mill, it's not suspensions shaking up the roster, it's dreams of a blockbuster trade. The Lakers missed out on signing another superstar alongside James this offseason, and they will need one in order to contend in the West. Developing one of their young stars would be great, but getting a ready-made talent would be even better.

Enter Portland's Damian Lillard. The 28-year-old point guard is a three-time All-Star who has delighted Trail Blazers fans for years with his intensity, passing ability and ice-cold shooting. Lillard also scored 28 points and dished out six assists in the Blazers' season-opening win over the Lakers. Apparently, he's the kind of guy James likes to play with, per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor (h/t Nico Martinez of Fadeaway World):

"LeBron wants to play with Damian Lillard. He's one of the guys he'd like to play with, and that's chatter around the league. It has been since before LeBron signed with the Lakers; it was one of the many indicators that he was heading there."

ESPN's Zach Lowe noted last Wednesday James' affinity for Lillard:

The most enticing mega-trade on the board not involving Anthony Davis: Lillard to the Lakers for a package centered around Lonzo Ball. Lillard is a perfect fit next to LeBron, and LeBron respects Lillard's game, per sources familiar with the matter. The Lakers could absorb Lillard into cap space this summer without sending out giant matching salaries -- salaries they don't have on the books.

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey felt the Lakers would be really scary for the right trade:

We see that James reportedly likes Lillard, but is the feeling mutual? Well, Lillard at the very least respects what James did in grabbing Paul during Saturday night's melee:

And who wouldn't want to play with the king anyway?

Feelings aside, it's hard to see the Lakers pulling this one off. Lillard, now entering his seventh season, is an icon in Portland. He has a strong supporting cast in place, and the team has made the playoffs every year of his career except for his rookie campaign. 

Plus, Lillard's contract gives Portland decent leverage in any trade, as he is on the Blazers' books until the end of the 2020-21 season. There is no rush to move him. Unless it becomes clear to Lillard the Lakers are the ascendant team, Portland is stagnant, and that it's time to make a move for a championship ring, it's hard to see this one happening. 

While a trade for Lillard would get the Lakers' high marks, their offseason signings apparently don't make that much sense to some. According to a recent story from ESPN's Pablo S. Torre, A Western Conference source had a funny way to describe the Lakers offseason veteran signings of Michael Beasley, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson. 

"If the Lakers were Family Matters," said the source, per Torre, "this would be like adding four f--king Urkels."

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It is a colorful cast of characters, no doubt. Rondo has already provided the Lakers with an early season storyline thanks to his fight with Paul, which included spitting on the legendary point guard. 

The Lakers' coaching staff likely doesn't find the incident as charming as Urkel's shenanigans, put its already provided plenty of media fodder. 

Stephenson is also getting attention for trying to keep the peace during the Paul-Rondo-Ingram fracas, and of course some of his usual in-play hilarity to boot. McGee and Beasley are likely to come up with a viral moment or two of their own during this season. 

While the signings had plenty scratching their heads and the Lakers are 0-2 to start the year, the veterans all have their unique, respective talents and can certainly help this Lakers team get much, much better than it has been over the past half decade.