Damian Lillard’s undying loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers was rewarded with a second consecutive season with no playoffs.
With a high lottery pick and young players this season, Damian Lillard told Stephen A. Smith that he and the team need to pick a direction for the future, opening up the possibility of him being traded away.
“It ain’t a threat. I am not gonna say that I am putting them on a clock, I’m just saying if we can’t do something significant like that, we won’t have a chance to compete on that level. Not only will I have a decision to make but the organization will too. Are we gonna go young or are we gonna get something done? We’ve not been fully committing to either one. Everybody wants to win. They believe I deserve that opportunity and I am trusting that we’re committed and diligent about doing those things this offseason… This is our most important offseason since I’ve been here.”
If no significant improvements are made, Damian Lillard believes he must make a decision about his future in Portland 👀pic.twitter.com/2qvvXvtGO8
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 13, 2023
Lillard had doubled down on wanting to win for the Blazers during the season, comparing himself to what Reggie Miller did for the Indiana Pacers. Off late though, Dame has sounded more willing to explore his options given the stagnancy in Portland’s success.
Will Damian Lillard Stay For Victor Wembanyama?
The Blazers currently have the 5th best odds at the No. 1 pick, meaning Victor Wembanyama could potentially be a Blazer and team up alongside Damian Lillard as a rookie. Even though drafting Wemby means Portland staying young, they’ll possibly pair a generational center with Dame for a fierce duo.
Portland is the best-positioned team to give Wembanyama the possibility to compete for the playoffs as a rookie. If he’s as good as everyone claims he is, Lillard will want to stay and deliver a championship alongside the French center. Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds this season and was the third-leading scorer in the NBA this season, so he still has a lot left in terms of production to lead Portland back to winning seasons.
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