With the NBA Draft Lottery going down on Wednesday night, Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick went through each of the lottery teams to suggest which players they might ultimately target. While many of the worst teams in the NBA already have young point guards, Amick listed five teams that could ultimately snap up the Weber State breakout star in the first dozen or so picks.
Here are the choice quotes that Amick gave for each of the teams regarding Lillard:
- New Orleans Hornets: "Adding point guard Damian Lillard of Weber State with the second pick would make for a potent potential pairing in the backcourt with [Eric] Gordon."
- Sacramento Kings: "If the Kings lose one of their many ball-dominant players by trading [Tyreke] Evans (which is a possibility), they could look for an upgrade at point guard (Lillard or North Carolina's Kendall Marshall could be options) despite the presence of two 2012 rookies, Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette."
- Golden State Warriors: "While Stephen Curry has the point guard duties secured, you have to wonder if his injury history doesn't inspire the Warriors to opt for the hometown hero in Lillard. The Oakland native, whom the Warriors watched in a recent workout, looks ready to score at the next level and run a team."
- Toronto Raptors: "Lillard is a possibility here, too, as the Raptors are looking for offensive firepower after making defensive strides under first-year coach Dwane Casey. With Jose Calderon entering the final year of his sizable deal ($10.6 million next season), they need a point guard for the future to pair with center Andrea Bargnani, fellow big man Jonas Valanciunas and 22-year-old shooting guard DeMar DeRozan."
- Phoenix Suns: "This draft is light on point guards, but Lillard and [Kendall] Marshall would be nice picks if they fell that far ([Tony] Wroten would be an additional option)." At this point, Lillard is generally considered the top point guard in this year's draft class. The lottery on Wednesday night could ultimately have a major effect on where he ultimately plays given his status as a likely lottery pick.
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