Damian Lillard has long been viewed as one of the most loyal players in the league. He has not yet played for any other franchise except the Portland Trail Blazers, and he has managed to make them a consistent playoff team.
Despite Lillard’s continued loyalty, there has always been speculation regarding him and a potential exit from Portland. For example, Kendrick Perkins has recently claimed that Damian Lillard will force his way out of the Trail Blazers organization.
There is no doubt that many other franchises would love to have Lillard on their roster. Despite his subpar season, he is still one of the best point guards in the league. However, it seems as though all the speculation is unfounded. Damian Lillard has recently spoken to the media and cleared the air about the trade rumors.
Dame remains adamant that he doesn't want to be traded from Portland and wants to be the part of the solution and winning. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/jtzFQoREAA
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) December 8, 2021
I’m not asking for a trade. I don’t know how many times I gotta say it… I sit in the office with Chauncey every day. We trying to find solutions. I’m dealing with these people every day that I walk in our practice facility, trying to find solution. Why would I be a part of trying to find solutions if I’m planning on an exit.
That’s not what’s going on. But people want that so bad, and it’s a good story and a good thing to talk about. They know people want entertainment so they continue with it. My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out. As far as I know that’s all of our intentions.
We’ll see what happens in the future. It’s would be understandable for most fans if Damian Lillard were to request a trade: he hasn’t played with an All-Star since his time with LaMarcus Aldridge, and the Trail Blazers have only had one deep playoff run in the last 5 years, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2019. However, it seems as though Damian Lillard isn’t jumping ship.
Hopefully, the Portland Trail Blazers are able to figure things out. However, it seems as though they may be without their primary offensive options for a while, with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum both scheduled to miss time with injury. With that being said, it’s possible that the Trail Blazers are able to make a run to the playoffs if fully healthy.
