Damian Lillard’s loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers may be approaching its expiration date.
The Blazers wrapped a bow around their second straight miserable season on Sunday, losing in their regular season finale to the Golden State Warriors by a humiliating 157-101 final score. But the season was finished long before that for Portland, who ended up at 33-49 overall (seven games behind the play-in tournament zone in the Western Conference).
Lillard, who was shut down in late March due to a calf issue, went viral for a comment that he made to reporters after Sunday’s finale.
“I don’t have much of an appetite for building with guys 2 and 3 years away and not really go after it,” said Lillard, per Blazers writer Sean Highkin.
Damian Lillard: "I don't have much of an appetite for building with guys 2 and 3 years away and not really go after it."
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) April 9, 2023
While the seven-time All-Star Lillard recently signed an extension with the Blazers to keep him under contract through at least 2025-26, his NBA clock is ticking faster and faster. Lillard turns 33 in the summer and has now gone back-to-back seasons with Portland failing to qualify for the play-in (they were 27-55 last year). Anfernee Simons (23), Trenton Watford (23), and Shaedon Sharpe (19) look like useful long-term guys to build around. But indeed, Lillard does not have the time to wait around for them to develop.
All eyes will be on Lillard to see whether or not he finally requests a trade from the Blazers this offseason. Meanwhile, there is a similar situation going on with another franchise player in the West too.
