Knicks among ‘most aggressive’ for Damian Lillard (Report)

The New York Knicks are one of five teams that are believed to be “most aggressive” in pursuit of Damian Lillard.

Damian Lillard reportedly wants out of Portland and the New York Knicks are one of the teams on his list of preferences. The feeling might be mutual. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is reporting that the Knicks are one of the teams who are “most aggressive” on the Lillard front.

“Few team executives expect a Dame deal to happen this offseason,” O’Connor wrote. “But multiple front-office sources say the Heat, Kings, Knicks, Rockets, and Sixers have recently been the most aggressive suitors.

“Front-office executives say that if the Blazers eventually move Lillard, they can expect a return rivaling or surpassing what the Nets gave up for James Harden: multiple young players, plus three first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps.”

As O’Connor notes, plenty of team executives expect Lillard to return to the Trail Blazers next season. Even if Lillard requests a trade, Portland isn’t going to be forced to move the disgruntled star.

A string of early playoff exits and a controversial coaching change has caused some friction between Lillard and the organization.

For the time being, the Knicks are laying in wait for the right opportunity. They have a strong core of young players, draft picks, and cap space at their disposal. As a result, the Knicks are one of the most flexible teams in the NBA.

But it’s clear that the Knicks won’t be the only team keeping tabs on the Lillard situation. If they want to land the six-time All-NBA player, they are going to have to be willing to offer a massive package.