Report: Former Mavericks trade target heads to Portland in Damian Lillard blockbuster

The Dallas Mavericks have been in trade talks all summer for a starting center.

It all started before draft night when the Mavericks were in trade rumors for Clint Capela with the Atlanta Hawks. Dallas and Atlanta could never agree on a deal as the Hawks wanted to deal John Collins rather than Capela, and Collins was later traded to the Utah Jazz.

On draft night, the Mavs were in talks for former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton from the Phoenix Suns. These talks fell apart as Dallas didn't offer enough to make Phoenix want to trade Ayton, but the talks were reported to be "serious."

Report: Former Mavericks trade target heads to Portland in Damian Lillard blockbuster

Fastforward three months later, and Ayton finally got moved. But not to Dallas.

According to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers, and Suns engaged in a three-team trade that involved three different star players moving around.

Of course, the biggest moving piece in this trade is Damian Lillard heading to Milwaukee. Lillard was rumored all summer to be going to the Miami Heat, but the Suns helped orchestrate a trade that landed him on the Bucks.

The Blazers got back a massive return, as they landed a first-round pick, two pick swaps, and two star players in Jrue Holiday and Ayton. It was reported that Portland is looking to move Holiday but it looks like they will keep Ayton.

Phoenix gets a center replacement for Ayton in Jusuf Nurkic, and guard and wing depth in Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson.

This was a massive trade, and it finally closes the book on Ayton coming to Dallas this summer. It seems that fans were always speculating about an Ayton to Dallas move, and now he'll play next to Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons in Portland.

Lillard, on the other hand, will form one of the best duos in the NBA next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.

We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors on the Dallas Mavericks this season, so stay tuned.