Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is once again trying to shut down rumors that he might be on his way out of Portland.
With the Portland Trail Blazers struggling and the organization hit by instability, Lillard rumors have ramped up again in recent weeks. A new report on Tuesday indicated that Lillard only wants a two-year extension on top of his current deal, and some candidates to replace fired GM Neil Olshey might prefer to move Lillard rather than have to try to build around him.
On Wednesday, Lillard again went out of his way to affirm that he does not want to be traded. He added that he meets with coach Chauncey Billups daily to try to figure out how to turn things around.
At Trailblazers shootaround today Damian Lillard strongly addressed the rumors and noise:
“I’m not asking for a trade.”
“My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out.”
He added he’s in the office w/ Chauncey everyday trying to find solutions, not planning an exit.
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) December 8, 2021
Lillard has been contesting a lot of reports lately. That is what inevitably happens when not all is well, and Lillard can’t argue that that is not the case. Portland sits at 11-14 and the team is struggling with injuries. Lillard wants and expects them to contend for a title, but they’re not close to doing that right now. It seems as if they’re more than one player away from doing it, too.
Lillard’s current contract runs through the 2024-25 season, so he’s fairly committed to Portland from that angle. However, the reality of the situation is a split may have to happen sooner rather than later.
Photo: Dec 16, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
