The Portland Trail Blazers are entering a crucial moment for their future tonight. If they keep the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, their immediate future may be affected in a big way.
Considering that this is a big option for the Blazers, several teams around the league are already ‘preparing their offers’ for Damian Lillard in case he asks for a trade. Talking on ESPN’s “Get Up!,” insider Brian Windhorst said:
“Dame Lillard, who hasn’t had success in the past couple of years, and asked them [the Trail Blazers] to go in a different direction, and they draft anyway would say to him, ‘It’s time to go.'”
“Portland isn’t admitting that [letting Lillard go is the best choice for them], and the rest of the league knows it, and they’re preparing their offers for what happens in the next 24 to the 72 hours with how Lillard might react to that going forward after the draft.”
.@windhorstespn says teams are "preparing their offers" for Damian Lillard 👀
"Anybody who would look at Dame Lillard … Who asked [the Blazers] to go in a different direction and they draft anyway would say to him, 'It's time to go.'" pic.twitter.com/z3j9WneyU5
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 22, 2023
The Blazers know they are in a complex position with Lillard right now, as the player has expressed his desire to compete and frustration for not having a good team to challenge for a championship.
Lillard comes from a season where he averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 58 games.
It is now or never for the Blazers, but they need to make the right decisions for their future. They have two choices now, either they focus on the short and mid-term or start building for the long run with the No. 3 overall pick tonight.
Portland Trail Blazers Have Shut Down Trade Talks Regarding Lillard
As of right now, they seem to be ready to keep Lillard on the roster, refusing to engage in trade talks involving the superstar. They’re also planning to land a young player despite Dame’s desire to get veterans that can help him win as soon as next season.
It doesn’t seem like the Blazers will make a decision that would please everybody, so they’ll need to let something go to receive something in exchange. The hard part is that they would need to cut ties with Damian Lillard to start building a competitive team for the future.
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