By Jordan Long
Damian Lillard’s time with the Portland Trail Blazers could be coming to an end. He has played for Portland for the past 9 years. Lillard would like to win an NBA title and it may not be in Portland since they look like they are rebuilding the team again. Speculation is that he is going to request a trade from them in the coming days which will let him force his way out.
Lillard has emerged as a “superstar” for Portland as their point guard. He is their top player. Lillard is so tough to defend. He can drive for a layup and those end in a foul which are either two easy free throws or a 3 point opportunity. Lillard can shoot the ball from the 3 point line and beyond. Even when a defender has a hand in his face, he somehow makes the shot. In his career, he is averaging 24.7 points and 6.6 assists per game. Lillard is a 37.5% shooter from the arc and nails his free throws at 89.3%.
Portland ended up in the playoffs 8 times with him. They advanced to one Western Conference Finals, 2019. They were swept by the Golden State Warriors. In 5 of those appearances, it was a first-round exit including this year when they were beaten by the Denver Nuggets.
One of the big reasons Lillard wants to be dealt to a contender is Portland might be rebuilding. They fired Head Coach Terry Stotts after 9 seasons. He was the coach who Lillard knew. Portland is now going with Chauncy Billups who doesn’t have Head Coaching experience but has been an assistant this season with the L.A. Clippers. Billups knows the game because he played in the NBA for 17 years. It seemed like this hire was going to be okay with Lillard but he now seems to have a change of heart.
Lillard would like to be traded to a contender. Portland may not be a playoff team next year unless the players buy in and understand Billups’ system. It could be a long year. Lillard is going to be 31 during the 2021-2022 season. He hasn’t had much playoff success with Portland. Lillard knows he may only have 6 or 7 years left in the NBA and wants a championship ring.
Teams could be interested in Lillard because of his offensive ability. He is able to set up the offense and run the plays. Lillard can find his teammates for easy looks at the basket when they cut to the lane. He can also take the offense into his own hands to score points. Those baskets can be the difference in games. Franchises know what he brings.
Once Lillard requests a trade, franchises can start talking to Portland to formulate a deal. A swap might be for a few players and 1st round draft picks for the next couple of years. This would be a lot for a team to give up but may be worth it because they get a star player back. That would also help Portland reconstruct the roster to become a playoff team once again. Time will only tell where Lillard ends up.
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