NBA superstar Damian Lillard gets real when talking about the Blazers tanking approach this season, as he recovers from an abdominal injury.
Just like the Blazers, Damian Lillard has been nothing sort of underwhelming this season. The 31-year-old is averaging 24.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists and is having one of the worst statistical years of his career.
A major reason why is the abdominal injury he picked up while representing Team USA in the summer. In fact, the injury affected Dame’s play this season, and the pain became too much to handle.
“It’s crazy, but I don’t even remember”
Damian Lillard on dealing with his abdominal injury for the past few years
“Surgeon, therapist, yoga instructors that I’ve been working with telling me, every step we’re making are all good signs of me moving in right direction”#RipCity pic.twitter.com/MDr114cF2Q
— Orlando Sanchez (@orlandokgw) January 22, 2022
As a result, the 6x All-Star guard decided it was finally time to get surgery, and is set to sit out for the foreseeable future. While it would certainly be difficult for Lillard to sit out the remainder of the season, his decision to undergo surgery could benefit him and the Blazers in the long run.
“It had reached a point where my body couldn’t do what my mind wanted it to do”
Damian Lillard on surgery, dealing with his most significant injury since college
“At some point you gotta play chess, make decisions that suite you for the long haul”#RipCity | @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/ySEJCZlLF6
— Orlando Sanchez (@orlandokgw) January 22, 2022
With Lillard sidelined, there were talks of Portland tanking this season, to get a high pick in the upcoming draft and start fresh next year. However, recently, Damian Lillard come out and spoke against this approach. What exactly did he say? Read on and find out….
Damian Lillard is not the biggest fan of the TrailBlazers tanking amid his absence.
According to the latest reports, Lillard is set to be out for six to eight weeks. During this time, the TrailBlazers have two options. One is to tank for the remaining of the season. Meanwhile, the alternative is to continue fighting for the playoffs since they still have a chance.
Recently, Damian Lillard talked about the same in an interview. He said if they do choose to tank, it would make sense for him to rest and play next year.
“No. We haven’t gone that far. I’m just a week from surgery, and we said we will re-evaluate my situation weeks out.— six to eight weeks. We will talk about it then. But I’m not in a rush. My No. 1 goal is to win a championship. Like I said, I have to be in the best form of myself to make that happen and to be a part of that. So I’m not in a rush. We will talk about whatever that timeline is when we get to that point.
“I mean, if we are going to play for a draft pick, it wouldn’t make sense for me … because I’m not going to play for no draft pick. I’m just not capable of that. So, it would be best, if that was what we were doing or what was decided, then it wouldn’t make sense for me to play.”
“My number one goal is to win a championship and I need to be in the best form of myself to make that happen.”@dame_lillard speaks to the media for the first time since his surgery: https://t.co/38jA6Xl9yx pic.twitter.com/wSizFKh857
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 22, 2022
“If we’re going to play for a draft pick, then it wouldn’t make sense…because I’m not going to play for a draft pick. I’m just not capable of that”
Damian Lillard to @jwquick when asked if he would play if the team was focused on moving up draft#RipCity | @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/bT5oj46aPx
— Orlando Sanchez (@orlandokgw) January 22, 2022
At heart, Damian Lillard is a true competitor. So, he wouldn’t have in him to play while the team is trying to tank. Moreover, it would make more sense for the Blazers to scratch this season off.
Portland could tank and try to get a high draft pick in next year’s draft, similar to what the Warriors did with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson out, just a year ago. In fact, they ended up with the 2nd overall pick and selected young center, James Wiseman.
Moreover, if Dame decides to sit, it would help in the development of rising star Anfernee Simons, who has made the most of his minutes over the past few weeks.
The Blazers are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference and have an outside chance at the playoffs. However, it is also equally understandable if they decided to tank and start fresh next season.
