Blazers star Damian Lillard is having a rough season in Portland. Despite an abundance of talent, the team is struggling to stay afloat in the Western Conference and it’s no secret that frustrations are running high throughout the franchise.
With these questions looming regarding the state of the Blazers, Lillard captivated Instagram users on Wednesday with a strange and cryptic post.
At around noon, Dame published a photo to the platform that featured him preparing for an upcoming game. Included was the caption, which seemingly takes a dig at a nameless individual:
It’s always a snake close by when you doing work! Keep pedaling ♂️
This could just be nothing more than some kind of inspirational message to push on, but many fans have speculated that Dame is talking about someone in particular and he may even be in the picture.
If you look closely, Blazers beat writer Jason Quick is in the background of the photo, seated in a chair behind Lillard and wearing a white shirt and a black mask.
It’s no secret that Dame has been in a war of words with the media lately, as many insiders and analysts have perpetuated the narrative that Lillard should (or will) leave Portland.
Quick was among that crowd, and the star point guard actually went at him in a press conference a while back.
“I’ve done so much in my career, specifically in Portland. I’ve given everything. I’ve never made an excuse, I’ve never disrespected any of y’all, I’ve never not given you guys time. Just when our team is going through it, I’m in a bit of a struggle you know, I see people not giving me that same respect. So that’s why I’m a little irritated in here, but with my team I’m happy with what we did.”
So, it seems plausible that Dame is taking another subtle shot at Quick here, a guy who he blames for helping spread a false narrative.
Unfortunately, the rumors will only continue to spread as the Blazers drift further away from relevancy. Unless Lillard and his squad can turn things around (quick and fast), a number of big-time changes could be on the horizon for the franchise. Lillard may or may not be among them.
