Celtics, Warriors, Lakers Interested In Signing Damian Lillard

[RealGM Wiretap]

Damian Lillard will have no shortage of suitors after he clears waivers. The Milwaukee Bucks chose to waive and stretch Lillard to create the cap room necessary to sign Myles Turner in free agency. Lillard is said to be happy with the move, as he'll have the opportunity to pick his next team.

Multiple contenders are expected to express interest in signing Lillard. Teams already known to have interest in signing Lillard when he clears waivers are the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

Lillard is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season, as he recovers from a torn Achilles that he suffered during the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Teams who sign him this year, will be making a signing for the future, as Lillard is likely to spend most of the upcoming season rehabbing.

Lillard may choose to sign with a team now, and rehabbing with that team's medical staff. The other option for Lillard is to wait to see how situations around the league shake out, before signing a deal with a new team.

Via Eric Nehm, Sam Amick and Joe Vardon/The Athletic

[CaHgO]

This "reporting" is borderline (if not full) retardation. Why would the Lakers of all teams want Lillard when he is an a) severely injured, b) older, c) less skilled, d) equally bad on defense, e) equally (or almost) as expensive version of Luka?!

[xchange55]

Why would the Lakers of all teams want Lillard when he is an a) severely injured, b) older, c) less skilled, d) equally bad on defense, e) equally (or almost) as expensive version of Luka?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe due to the buyout, Dame will just be limited to minimum salary contracts as MIL is still on the hook to pay him out. He can't double dip and sign another big contract while collecting on the contract from MIL.

So sure it makes sense for a contending team to add him cheap. It works mutually since I'm sure Dame would rather be a bench/role player on a contender than a started on a bad team. Your assessment of Dame is correct. TBH I never liked him as a player when he was in his prime. Sure he's a great shooter, but one dimensional which is why his POR teams were always losers. If he's so bad he can't contribute positively on a contender, they can just waive him. At min contract it's no risk.

[TheCage4]

This "reporting" is borderline (if not full) retardation. Why would the Lakers of all teams want Lillard when he is an a) severely injured, b) older, c) less skilled, d) equally bad on defense, e) equally (or almost) as expensive version of Luka?!

Because the Lakers have interest in every FA that has a name regardless of everything you listed.

[pushfloater]

Lakers gotta get a good defender in starting lineup at some point….

[puja21]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe due to the buyout, Dame will just be limited to minimum salary contracts as MIL is still on the hook to pay him out. He can't double dip and sign another big contract while collecting on the contract from MIL.

To my knowledge it depends on what they negotiated

Meaning there is no rule but likely, yes, there is offset language that some or all of the new money he is paid comes off the cash from the Bucks.

[the_process]

I'm assuming Dame will sign in MIA.

[Luv those Knicks]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe due to the buyout, Dame will just be limited to minimum salary contracts as MIL is still on the hook to pay him out. He can't double dip and sign another big contract while collecting on the contract from MIL.

To my knowledge it depends on what they negotiated

Meaning there is no rule but likely, yes, there is offset language that some or all of the new money he is paid comes off the cash from the Bucks.

It's not a bidding war unless a team offers him more than 20 million a season, which seems unlikely. So, probably a dozen teams will reach out to his agent and offer the minimum and he'll choose.

I'd go so far as to say EXTREEMLY likely that he signs for the minimum, because he's already being paid. He might choose a shorter or longer deal to keep his future options open, but the value is almost certainly a minimum contract.

[Rashidi]

Why would the Lakers of all teams want Lillard when he is an a) severely injured, b) older, c) less skilled, d) equally bad on defense, e) equally (or almost) as expensive version of Luka?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe due to the buyout, Dame will just be limited to minimum salary contracts as MIL is still on the hook to pay him out. He can't double dip and sign another big contract while collecting on the contract from MIL.

You are in fact incorrect. Dame didn't buy himself out of his contract (what buyout means). He was waived. They paid him.

This is why teams negotiate buyouts in the first place. The negotiated amount that the player gives back to get out of their contract is typically what they recoup on their new contract (i.e. their veteran's minimum). It doesn't automatically come out of what the player is owed by the previous team.

Dame was waived from a guaranteed contract. He gets all of his money from MIL regardless of whether the Sonics decide to offer him 100M to jumpstart their franchise.