Draymond Green still doesn’t take Damian Lillard and the Blazers seriously, even if they get Carmelo Anthony

Damian Lillard thinks the Trail Blazers could give the Golden State Warriors fits offensively if they land Carmelo Anthony in a trade this summer. Draymond Green had something else in mind.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year shut down the notion Golden State would have trouble defending the Trail Blazers if they landed another All-Star this summer. It was a response to Lillard, who told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian that the Trail Blazers would be difficult to guard if Anthony joined him, C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic.

”I can only imagine what it would be like having him iso’ing on one side, and C.J. in a corner, and me on the opposite wing and Nurk (Jusuf Nurkic)...I can only imagine how hard it would be to guard us when it’s already hard to guard us.

“We can compete with anybody in the West, but I think when you get to those teams like Golden State, if we happen to run into them in a playoff situation now—we getting in the paint, and if they want to help off someone like Melo...good luck.”

Both Lillard and McCollum have tried to sell New York’s All-Star forward ever since the potential three-team trade between the Trail Blazers, Rockets and Knicks broke down in early July.

“I spoke to him,” Lillard said, via The Oregonian. “Because, obviously, he makes us a better team. Obviously with that being out there and that being a real possibility, I don’t see why I wouldn’t reach out to him and let him know the interest is mutual if he’s interested in us.

“We had a conversation ... so he knew that it wasn’t just the team -- but it was myself and CJ -- (that) would love to have him here. So I reached out to him.”

“He can help us a lot; we can help him,” McCollum added in a July 19 story via The Oregonian. “He wants to play in the playoffs and be competitive. He’s a very talented player. I think if we get him -- when we get him -- I think [we’re] top three in the West, easy.”

Asked about Anthony’s response to the sales pitch, Portland’s shooting guard said: “I think he’s interested. Obviously, I feel like he wants to play with friends, with Banana Boat friends. I know he wants to play with (Chris Paul) and LeBron (James). Those are very good teams, very good options. But I feel like we’re also a very good option.”

The Knicks’ forward reasserted his desire to be traded after waging a season-long war against New York president Phil Jackson, who parted ways with the team after the NBA Draft. Anthony was expected to head to Houston in a deal that would have sent Ryan Anderson to Portland and a wealth of young players and trade assets to New York.

The deal was seen as a perfect match, pairing him with close friend Chris Paul and MVP runner-up James Harden to create the league’s most formidable Big 3.

The Trail Blazers, however, did not want to take back the additional three years at over $60 million on the 29-year-old Anderson’s contract. Neither did the Knicks. And with New York’s signing of Scott Perry as general manager, trade negotiations have been on standby.

Knicks’ president Steve Mills told reporters a buyout is not an option at this stage for Anthony, who is owed $53 million over the next two years of his contract. And if Melo isn’t willing to waive his no-trade clause to head to Portland, it could be slim pickings for suitors elsewhere.