Damian Lillard’s ongoing situation with the Portland Trail Blazers has been the subject of much scrutiny over the past year.
The 31-year-old has expressed vocal dissatisfaction with his team’s fortunes over the past few seasons and also didn’t seem particularly enthralled with what the front office did in free agency.
There was some hope that a strong beginning to the season would ultimately quell Lillard’s concerns, but the Blazers have struggled early.
As things stand, they are 11-15 after 26 games – good for 11th place in the Western Conference.
Naturally, the trade rumblings have restarted.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, there are three teams waiting in the wings for Lillard to officially demand out of Portland.
“Three teams with interest in Lillard told ESPN that they are waiting on him to make an offseason trade demand before calling Portland,” he wrote.
“If Lillard asks out, they know the Blazers will lose some leverage in the asking price — and are waiting on it. Philadelphia made an offer, but New York never did, league sources said.”
At this point, everyone’s cards are on the table. Lillard has publicly said that he is committed to the Blazers, but privately has expressed interest in joining one other team.
A potential trade with the 76ers involving Ben Simmons has loomed large for a while now and continues to be a very logical move. The Golden State Warriors have also been mentioned as a potential Lillard landing spot.
Actions have consequences. https://t.co/TPnBzy8ncP
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 9, 2021
Regardless of what anyone says at this point, the writing on the wall is clear. It is increasingly looking like Lillard isn’t long for Portland.
Where will he end up next? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
