Damian Lillard has been the franchise player for the Portland Trail Blazers for a decade now, and unfortunately, the team doesn't have much to show for it. Of course, this is not Lillard's fault. Instead, it is the fault of management, who has refused to give Lillard a team that he can truly win with. The Blazers roster has always been inconsistent, and after a rough start this season, it almost seems like a foregone conclusion that they won't make it to the postseason.
After the firing of GM Neil Olshey, a lot has been made of Lillard's status in Portland. In a new report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, it was even stated that Lillard came into this season angry, as the Blazers wouldn't even consider Jason Kidd for the head coaching job. Not to mention, Lillard was allegedly upset about the lack of big roster moves.
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Per Charania:
“But two key concerns of his [Lillard] were not accounted for last offseason: Lillard’s desire for roster changes and for Jason Kidd, then a Lakers assistant and now Dallas Mavericks coach, to be strongly considered for the Portland job opening after Terry Stotts was fired. Olshey instead targeted LA Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups as the new coach and did not make major changes to the roster, believing the current core was built for contention.”
It remains to be seen what this will mean for Lillard, moving forward. He is one of the best point guards in the entire league, and the Blazers need him on the roster if they want any chance at success. However, this is a player's league, and if Lillard wants a trade, that's exactly what he will get.
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