Draft Scoot, Trade Dame. Bill Simmons Sounds Off On Trail Blazers Crossroads.

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

Scoot Henderson was in town over the weekend for a workout with the Portland Trail Blazers.

It doesn’t mean anything, necessarily — the Trail Blazers have been working out a group of players that will be in the range of the number three pick — but it also doesn’t mean nothing.

Damian Lillard has said on the record that he doesn’t want to play with another 19-year-old. If that’s the case, and if the Blazers don’t want to trade Lillard, why would they be working out guys like Amen Thompson, and most recently, Henderson, who plays Lillard’s position?

The Trail Blazers offseason is a fascinating one, and it is picking up national attention wherever you look.

Monday, on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons and Ryen Russillo were talking about the Trail Blazers and the potential of them trading the third pick in the draft. Russillo says if they keep Lillard, they are running back the small guard lineup that has be proven to not work.

“They just don’t defend,” Rusillo said. “The small guards man. They got two really small ones and Lillard has no interest in being a defensive player at all. He just doesn’t.”

If the Blazers are to keep the Lillard-Simons backcourt, there is no evidence that says it will work. In fact, it points to the contrary. Portland has seen two small guards in the backcourt who don’t play good defense, and it hasn’t worked out.

Bill Simmons throws out some potential trade ideas for the Blazers and the third pick, and thinks that it doesn’t make the Blazers much better than where they’re at right now in the West.

“If they did, number three and (Shaedon) Sharpe for Jaylen Brown or Paul George or some established star. I still don’t know where that gets them. Does that get them to round two? Does it get them to round three?,” Simmons questioned.

Simmons goes on to say what he would do. And it’s a plan that a lot of Blazers fans don’t want to hear.

“You have Sharpe. You have Simons. You have the number three pick in a three player and a drop off draft. And you can turn Dame into a s***  load.”

I personally agree with what Simmons and Russillo are saying. If the Blazers are to be able to trade for another good wing player. What exactly are they going to be in the Western Conference? There are a ton of good teams still. And now the Spurs are getting Victor Wembanyama.

The goal I have is to try and figure out the best pathway for the Blazers to win a championship. I think the best chance is to draft a player with the third pick in the draft, and if you are going to make a trade, it may be to trade the leading scorer in Blazers franchise history, Damian Lillard.

@steven_von