Three trade targets Trail Blazers could pursue to complement Damian Lillard

The Portland Trail Blazers didn't win the NBA Draft Lottery but were fortunate enough to secure the third overall selection in next month's draft. 

While it may be tempting to start rebuilding, Portland might use the third pick to acquire a veteran to complement star guard Damian Lillard. According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, there's "widespread speculation" that the Blazers will trade the selection and could package 23-year-old guard Anfernee Simons along with it. 

It's fair to argue that Portland should trade Lillard rather than provide him with more help. But if the Blazers still want to compete with their franchise player, here are a few potential options to consider trading for.

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

The Celtics' body language in the Eastern Conference Finals indicates that they've quit on one another, and it's difficult to say what direction the team should take from here. Rumblings of Brown wanting to become the leader of his own team have circulated for some time, so it wouldn't come as a complete shock if he requested a trade.

Brown's name was continuously mentioned as a potential piece in hypothetical deals whenever the Celtics were involved in trade discussions for superstar names such as Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. The rumors, particularly those regarding Durant, might have left Brown feeling underappreciated by Boston after his stellar performance in the 2022 NBA Finals.

If Boston trades Brown, it likely won't be to an Eastern Conference team, making Portland a realistic trade destination. Having a Lillard and Brown duo could give the Trail Blazers a short contention window, as both are coming off their best seasons. Once Lillard enters his twilight years, the 26-year-old Brown will have the opportunity to take charge of his own team.

Despite a small sample size, Brown has proven he can be an elite No. 1 option when Jayson Tatum has been out of the lineup. In 18 games without Tatum since the 2020-21 season, Brown averaged 30.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists. 

Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls 

There aren't many teams in a worse position than the Chicago Bulls, but they might be ready to turn the page on their mistakes. NBA.com's Sam Smith recently reported that some around the league believe Chicago may be "done" with the LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević trio and are more inclined to rebuild.

Although LaVine is the most talented of the core, Vučević is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and DeRozan has just one season remaining on his current deal. Trading away LaVine might lead to a hard reset that could benefit the Bulls long-term since they don't own a pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Landing G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson or Alabama's Brandon Miller is enticing in itself for Chicago, let alone the possibility of adding Simons. Given reports that Lonzo Ball may miss the entire 2023-24 season following his third left knee surgery, GM Marc Eversley might find it difficult to pass up on this deal. 

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns 

There's a growing sense that Phoenix will aim to move on from the former No. 1 overall pick this offseason. While Ayton may not be much of an upgrade over center Jusuf Nurkić, especially at his $33.2 average annual salary, it might not take the third pick to acquire him. 

In addition to the third pick, Portland owns the No. 23 overall selection in the draft after trading guard Josh Hart to the New York Knicks at the trade deadline. Packaging pick 23 with Nurkić, who averaged 13.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season, could intrigue Phoenix as it strives to win a championship in the not-too-distant future.

Even though Ayton hasn't lived up to expectations as a top pick, much less as one selected ahead of Luka Dončić and Trae Young, he's still a consistent double-double producer. Perhaps a change of scenery and the chance to play with a point guard still in his prime years will enable Ayton to develop into a borderline All-Star.