With big-name stars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the market, the Portland Trail Blazers are experiencing some trouble within their own borders.
After team owner Jody Allen issued a statement denying the sale of the team, a report has come out slamming her role in running the team. According to The New York Post, she has even been refusing the calls of franchise star Damian Lillard, who is the only player keeping the team relevant.
She has also refused to talk to Blazers star player Damian Lillard, who reportedly has had issues with the way the team is being run, the team source claimed.
“Damian wanted to sit down and have a conversation with Jody about the team and she didn’t return his call. Then he tried to email her. Eventually she just never responded and put him in touch with Bert,” the source alleged. “When you own a team, there are critical key decisions to make and you should be the one involved in making the decisions.”
Reps for Jody Allen, as well as the Portland Trail Blazers, did not respond to requests for comment.
"Damian [Lillard] wanted to sit down & have a conversation with Jody [Allen] about the team and she didn’t return his call. Then he tried to email her. Eventually she just never responded and put him in touch with Bert [Kolde, Blazers' Vice Chair]."
(via https://t.co/xzAdLZrfPl) pic.twitter.com/SIY8klmJCV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 7, 2022
Lillard has not yet requested a trade, but there are some questions about where his loyalty to Portland stands amid this Jody Allen burn piece and the current trajectory of the KD sweepstakes. If his latest Instagram activity hints at anything, it’s not good news for the Blazers. If Allen’s relationship with Dame falls apart (or fails to grow), it could be the final nail in the coffin or his run with the Blazers.
Still, it’s not all bad for the ball club. By bringing in Jerami Grant, Gary Payton, and rookie Shaedon Sharpe, they have added a solid collection of wings that will open things up for Lillard and gifted center Jusuf Nurkic.
But if Portland isn’t careful, everything they’ve built will come crumbling down. Unfortunately, the toxicity starts at the very top, which is why Jody Allen should strongly re-consider refusing Phil Knight’s $2 billion offer for the franchise.
