Damian Lillard was involved in the most shocking move of the NBA offseason: getting waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks to make room for Myles Turner. By doing so, he will enter unrestricted free agency for the first time in his NBA career. While it would sound ridiculous to float the idea of him joining the Utah Jazz, it was Lillard himself who admitted he'd be down for it.
Following a report from The Athletic's Eric Nehm, Sam Amick, and Joe Vardon confirming the Los Angeles Lakers' interest in Lillard after he clears waivers, a tweet from the star himself from 2017 has resurfaced where he revealed the two teams he would play for if he had the choice: the Lakers and the Jazz.
If blazers said they didn't want me... Utah Jazz or Lakers https://t.co/jep3V9qRsS
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 14, 2017
Before anyone asks, "Why the Jazz?" Lillard floated them because of his personal ties to the state of Utah itself. No, Lillard did not grow up in Utah, but he played college basketball for Weber State, which allowed him to showcase his talents to the world when he was not a high recruit coming out of high school.
It wasn't like the Jazz were bad at the time Lillard said this (this was around the peak of the Gordon Hayward/Rudy Gobert era). Still, the nine-time All-Star made it clear how much his time in Utah meant to him (note that he likely also named the Lakers because he grew up in Oakland, California).
It is both unfortunate and wild that he followed the same route as Jordan Clarkson this offseason, but even while recovering from an Achilles tear, Lillard should have a strong market because he's still Damian Lillard, who was named among the 75 best players ever.
Now that it's his choice for where to go next, and he's admitted that he'd like to join the Jazz if the opportunity was there
How Utah could appeal to Lillard now
The reason why many would not consider the Jazz a destination for Dame Dolla is that they aren't expected to be good next season. Well, keep in mind that Lillard will likely be out for the entire season anyway, so it doesn't matter what place the Jazz are at right now as a team.
Besides his personal ties to Utah, there are three reasons why Utah make sense for Lillard.
First, the Jazz have plenty of money to offer. In an offseason where not a lot of teams have money to offer, Utah does and because they're rebuilding, there's no need for them to spend it on anyone who could get them a couple of extra wins during their organic tank.
Lillard will be handsomely paid for the next five years, as the Bucks will pay him over $20 million annually for the next five years. However, in a season where he'll likely be spending most of his time in rehab, why not get another payday while you still can? The Jazz can give it to him.
Second, Utah could give him the chance to be a good role model to their young guards. Utah has multiple young and talented guards just starting their NBA careers: Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, and Walter Clayton Jr. Even if Lillard won't play next season, he could play a huge role in helping Utah's young guards reach their potential.
Not too long ago, Anfernee Simons admitted that Lillard played a vital role in his development as an NBA player back when the two were teammates. Simons is different from the Jazz's young guards, but Lillard's mentorship has proven to help young players who play the same position as him in the past.
Third, he'd be around a teammate he's more than familiar with: Jusuf Nurkic. Lillard and Nurkic played together from 2017 to 2023, during which they made multiple postseason appearances together. If Dame joined the Jazz, he wouldn't be surrounded by strangers in that locker room. Nurkic could help him transition seamlessly as part of the Jazz's roster.
As long as he wouldn't hurt their salary cap situation long-term, adding Lillard would be pretty solid as a rental for the Jazz. No one would blame him if he wanted to go elsewhere, but acknowledging Utah as an option for him to continue his NBA career isn't as laughable as it may seem on the surface.