The Portland Trailblazers wasted an incredible Damian Lillard season. This year Dame averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists for the season. He had the third-highest scoring average for the season, only trailing Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic.
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Despite the season Lillard had, the Blazers finished the season 13th in the West with a 33-49 record. Last offseason, the Blazers made Lillard a huge offer, giving him a 2-year, $121 Million extension. They agreed to get him help, giving Anfernee Simons an extension, trading for Jeremi Grant, and getting Shaedon Sharpe in the NBA Draft.
With the way the season ended, the Blazers are currently set to receive the 5th pick in the 2023 Draft, before the lottery changes things. When asked about signing a young talent who needs development, Lillard said,
“I’m just not interested in that. That’s not a secret. I want a chance to go for it. And if the route is to (draft youth), then that’s not my route.”
Tonight, Lillard doubled down on his statement.
Damian Lillard issues a warning to the Trailblazers
Damian Lillard was drafted by the Blazers in 2012. He’s spent 11 seasons with the team, and been with them through thick and thin. In a generation where stars leave and team up with others to get the best chance to win, Lillard never even thought about leaving. Loyalty has been his strong suit.
However, I guess Dame is running out of patience. On the verge of turning 33, Dame talked to Stephen A Smith during the Play-In Game between the Bulls and Raptors. He talked about making a competitive team in Portland. Dame said,
“It ain’t a threat. I ain’t gonna say I’m putting them on the clock. I’m just saying if those things can’t be done—if we can’t do something significant like that—then we won’t have a chance to compete on that level. And then, not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will, too. Because at that point, it’s like, ‘Are you gonna go young, or are we gonna get something done?’ I think we just kinda been on the fence with fully committing to either one. I just think we at that point now where everybody wants to win. They believe I deserve that opportunity.”
Damian Lillard knows it is time for the Blazers to figure out how to win, or some tough conversations will have to be had on both sides#sascast pic.twitter.com/ljXZfwDGpF
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 13, 2023
Can the Blazers get a star next to Lillard?
This summer’s free agency has a few big names. From guards like James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Russell Westbrook, to bigs like Nikola Vucevic, Kristaps Porzingis, to Draymond Green. Now it depends on the Blazers whether they want to go the trade route or they want to test who they can net in the open market.
Either way, if things don’t get better next season, we may finally hear something a lot of Dame fans have wanted for a long time.
