Portland Trail Blazers fans were on the edge of their seats throughout the offseason. They had to watch numerous media outlets discuss potential trade packages involving their superstar point guard, Damian Lillard.
Despite never actually requesting a trade himself, Lillard’s name constantly came up in trade rumors. Odds were made at sportsbooks about which team he would be playing for once the 2021-22 season began.
Well, they can be a little more at ease now, as Lillard is still on the roster with training camp beginning this week. While they would have rather seen Lillard and the Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals this year, it sounds like the Milwaukee Bucks’ success was beneficial to the future of their team.
Seeing the Bucks win the championship convinced Lillard that he could do the same thing in Portland. He shared that sentiment with Jason Quick of The Athletic, a prescription-based website.
“I was sitting there, and I was like, it can really be done,” Lillard told Jason Quick of The Athletic when referencing some teams who have gone on improbable runs to the NBA Finals in recent years. “That’s how I feel: It can be done.”
That is music to the ears of Portland fans and people in the front office. Seeing someone such as Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the team that drafted him to the NBA Championship is something the Trail Blazers and Lillard are hoping happen to them.
But, the front office does have some work to do. Milwaukee’s brain trust did an excellent job building the roster up around their superstar player. Portland, for the most part, has failed to do that with Lillard.
Lillard urged the team to make moves this offseason and they responded flatly. Tony Snell, Cody Zeller and Ben McLemore aren’t going to move the needle much. Larry Nance Jr. was a nice pick up from the Cleveland Cavaliers but will provide minimal needle movement as well.
If the team struggles in the same areas with a new head coach in Chauncey Billups, Damian Lillard’s tone may change. Some teams look to be gearing up to make a run at him and if the Trail Blazers can’t get over the hump, he could request a trade to a team that will help him do it.
