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Trail Blazers

Several NBA teams &mdash; including the top markets &mdash; are intensely monitoring the future of Damian Lillard in Portland for an opening to make trade offers.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1401175819163254786" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Charania and Jason Quick <a href="https://theathletic.com/2634209/2021/06/05/terry-stotts-out-in-portland-and-damian-lillard-says-he-likes-jason-kidd-or-chauncey-billups-the-two-likely-choices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> that Lillard preferred Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups as the lead choices for the Portland Trail Blazers' vacant head coaching position. The Blazers parted ways with Terry Stotts yesterday. Lillard has made no public assertion of an intent to leave Portland, where he has spent his entire career since being drafted sixth overall in 2012.&nbsp;
Lillard added in the article that although he endorses Kidd and Billups, departing from Stotts is still a difficult adjustment.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;ve known in this league as a coach,&rdquo; Lillard said. &ldquo;In nine years, you have your frustration in competition, but I enjoyed all nine years, and always played to give him the best chance to keep his job.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I feel down about it, because I&rsquo;m not much a fan of change,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;And every memory of mine in this uniform includes him.&rdquo;

Portland lost in six games to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

Several teams 'intensely monitoring' Damian Lillard's future with Blazers

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/damian-lillard-saying-no-to-lebron-james-could-be-the-biggest-mistake-of-his-career/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Sometimes, a player&rsquo;s loyalty to his team can also become his weakness. Damian Lillard chose to stay in Portland, and in the process, might've rejected a chance to compete for the NBA title this year. He had an opportunity to join the Los Angeles Lakers but said no to LeBron James. Time will only tell if he'll regret that decision later on.&nbsp;
LeBron James, Anthony Davis tried to recruit Dame to L.A.
Dame was in L.A. in the offseason to shoot his music video for an upcoming album. He and James met at a WNBA game, and sensing it could be an excellent opportunity to discuss some things with the Blazer star, The King invited Dame to come to his mansion for lunch. When Dame arrived, Anthony Davis was there. At that time, everyone knew at the table that it wasn&rsquo;t just going to be a simple lunch, but a recruitment discussion.
As Lillard <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/amid-chaotic-offseason-damian-lillard-meeting-lebron-james-decision-loomed-sealed-recommitment-trail-blazers-200041277.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared with Yahoo! Sports</a>, James talked about how things would go if he were to join them with the Lakers. But Dame didn't feel that joining a super team was right.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I was just saying, I don&rsquo;t know if this is the route I wanted to go,&rdquo; Lillard <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/amid-chaotic-offseason-damian-lillard-meeting-lebron-james-decision-loomed-sealed-recommitment-trail-blazers-200041277.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Yahoo Sports</a>. &ldquo;And that was pretty much how the conversation went.&rdquo;
Lillard&rsquo;s loyalty could haunt his career&nbsp;
Lillard has given his all to his city and his team. At this point, if he were to request a trade, fans would almost feel sorry about him asking for one too late. After losing to a Denver Nuggets team without Jamal Murray in last year's playoffs, Dame realized the Blazers could not compete for a title seriously.&nbsp;
So Blazers general manager Neil Olshey hired a new coach in Chauncey Billups, hoping the former NBA champion could inject some fresh ideas and convince Lillard to stay. Things have not happened according to plan thus far, as Dame has struggled to get his rhythm early in the season. The six-time All-Star is shooting 35.3% from the field and 23.4% from the three-point line to start the season. Fans know he needs to get out of his slump to keep Portland's playoff dreams alive.
If Dame accepted LeBron and AD&rsquo;s invite to come and play in L.A., it could have changed the landscape of the NBA. In that case, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony would likely not be playing for the purple-and-gold this year.
Opportunities like this don&rsquo;t happen often, so Lillard is courageous for passing it up. At the same time, by rejecting LeBron&rsquo;s offer, Dame might have said goodbye to winning a title in his career. &nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net <a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

According to Yahoo Sports, Damian Lillard was recruited by LeBron James and Anthony Davis to join the Lakers over the offseason.

Could saying no to LeBron be Damian Lillard's biggest career mistake?

Devin Booker made two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Phoenix Suns a 118-117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Booker&rsquo;s winning foul shots were set up when Portland's Robert Covington was fouled and missed both free throws with 4.4 seconds left, giving the Suns one last chance. Booker was fouled by Norman Powell as he went up for a jumper with 2.4 seconds remaining, and Portland's C.J. McCollum missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer to seal Phoenix&rsquo;s win.
With the victory, Phoenix moved within a game of Utah for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with two games to play.
Chris Paul led Phoenix with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Mikal Bridges chipped in with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Booker had 18 points but shot just 5 of 17 from the field.
Damian Lillard scored a game-high 41 points on 16-of-23 shooting for Portland, which had its five-game winning streak stopped. McCollum had 27 points.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Damian Lillard dropped 24 points (9-10 FGM) in the 4th quarter tonight 🤯 41 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 54.5 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/CUYUKtlJ8g">pic.twitter.com/CUYUKtlJ8g</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1393066891862847489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Trail Blazers, who were playing the second of a back-to-back after beating Utah on Wednesday night, dropped into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, a half-game back of Dallas with two games to play.
The Suns, who had lost three of four coming in, avoided their first three-game skid of the season.
Phoenix played without center Deandre Ayton, who missed his first game of the season with a sore left knee. Suns coach Monty Williams declined to provide any details about Ayton&rsquo;s injury before the game, saying only that he &ldquo;came in sore today. The Suns started Dario Saric in Ayton&rsquo;s place.
The Suns turned what had been a tight game into an 85-77 lead heading into the fourth quarter, thanks to reserve forward Torrey Craig, who scored 10 points in the final 2:07 of the third quarter. Craig hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark the run.
Backup point guard Cam Payne scored 21 points for the Suns, including 11 in the third quarter.
Portland and Phoenix couldn&rsquo;t get any separation in the first half; there were 16 lead changes and the biggest lead was four points by each team.
TIP-INS
Blazers: Forward Nassir Little was out with back spasms. ... McCollum and Lillard combined for 35 points and eight assists in the first half.
Suns: In addition to Ayton not being available, Phoenix was without forwards Cam Johnson (wrist) and Abdel Nader (knee). ... The Suns need one win to reach the 50-win mark for the first time since the 2009-2010 season.
UP NEXT
Blazers: Return home to host the Nuggets on Sunday
Suns: Travel to face the Spurs on Saturday and Sunday to close the regular season.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

With the victory, Phoenix moved within a game of Utah for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with two games to play.

Devin Booker hits late free throws, Suns top Blazers despite Damian Lillard's 41

Stop writing it. Stop saying it. Stop believing it. Damian Lillard isn&rsquo;t going anywhere.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not leaving Portland,&rdquo; @Dame_Lillard said. &ldquo;&hellip;it&rsquo;s not going to happen.&rdquo;
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/jwquick/status/1450642193585041414?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Quick of The Athletic (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: It seems that Lillard has finally had enough of the rumors regarding his potential departure from the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that he has spent the entirety of his NBA career with. Lillard opened up to Jason Quick of The Athletic and said that one of the big reasons why he has come to that decision is due to numerous conversations he had with new head coach Chauncey Billups over the summer.
With the NBA 75th season underway, Lillard has now effectively closed the door on any rumors regarding his exit from Portland, and Blazers fans can now rejoice.

According to Jason Quick of The Athletic, Damian Lillard said he is not going to leave Portland.

Damian Lillard: 'I'm not leaving Portland'

Let's start here: We don't know if Damian Lillard wants out of Portland.
There have been recent reports, notably from Henry Abbott of the True Hoop network, that Lillard is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-damian-lillard-plans-to-request-trade-from-blazers-in-next-few-days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the verge of asking out</a>. The Blazers' stretch of good-but-not-good-enough productivity has begun to weigh on Lillard; a first-round loss to the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets may very well have been the final nail in the coffin.
Lillard has denied wanting to leave, for the most part. Following a recent Team USA practice, Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-says-report-he-plans-to-request-a-trade-is-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denounced the wanting-out rumors</a>. What he didn't do, however, was give the Blazers a strong vote of confidence.
"The best way to put it is be more urgent about our next step and how we move forward,&rdquo; Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-says-report-he-plans-to-request-a-trade-is-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a>.
&ldquo;We made [the] playoffs a lot of years in a row. We&rsquo;re not a bad team. We&rsquo;re a winning team. We got a great environment, great city, great fans. But we&rsquo;ve reached that point where it&rsquo;s not enough. Do we actually want to win it all? Is that what we&rsquo;re shooting for? We have to do things to show that. We got to put action behind that desire to win at that level."
Lillard has been steadfast in his desire to stay in Portland throughout his career, but it does seem that the wall the Blazers hit this past postseason is weighing on him. If the Blazers aren't able to follow through with a strong summer, they risk falling (further) behind in the Western Conference hierarchy. Any slip may be enough for Lillard to push his way out.
In the event that Lillard does ask out, you'd be hard-pressed to find many teams that wouldn't check in on his availability. We're talking about one of the most dynamic pull-up threats the NBA has ever seen, a strong finisher and a proactive passer with the vision necessary to make scrambling defenses pay.
Shot creation reigns supreme in today's NBA, particularly in a playoff setting. Adding a guy like Lillard, an offense in and of itself, could boost quite a few teams into legitimate contention.
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Beyond that basic premise, The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/sixers-knicks-heat-among-five-aggressive-suitors-for-damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that five teams in particular -- the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets (I would assume they're more likely to be a third team than a landing spot, but who knows?) and Sacramento Kings -- have been the most aggressive in their pursuit of Lillard.
None of this guarantees that the Blazers will make a move, but there's enough smoke to examine what a potential Lillard deal would look like. Here are a few teams that are -- or at least should be -- in the mix for the six-time All-Star.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
We can dub this, "the Ben Simmons section." Simmons-to-Portand has been a popular rumor for a while now; the quibbling is over which backcourt mate he'd be moved for.&nbsp;
If it's for Lillard, more than Simmons would be required. One of Tyrese Maxey or Matisse Thybulle. One of Seth Curry or George Hill. Multiple firsts. It'd take a haul, but it'd be difficult to think of many better duos than Liillard and Joel Embiid.
The half-court scoring prowess of Lillard, Embiid and Tobias Harris could go toe-to-toe with just about anyone in the Eastern Conference. Replacing what Simmons brings defensively would be tough; honestly, it's been a bit undersold when brought up on the interwebs. Retaining Thybulle would help. Bringing back Danny Green, slip as he may, would also help. Scouring the free-agent market for wings and bigs would become a priority.
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For the Blazers, you'd get a strong building block in Simmons. That's slightly different than being a centerpiece; Simmons may not be as bad as his showing in the Atlanta series, but his half-court limitations are real. Still, he remains a transition demon, a strong finisher, one of the best passers in the sport and an elite multi-positional defender.&nbsp;
The Sixers could replicate the James Harden/Brooklyn Nets package in terms of draft picks and swaps with the Blazers. In Maxey or Thybulle, you're either getting a speedy guard with budding pull-up and point-of-attack chops, or one of the most absurd off-ball defenders to hit the league in quite some time. Curry could replace a portion of Lillard's pull-up/movement shooting equity, while Hill could provide a steadying presence on both ends.
NEW YORK KNICKS
The Knicks have all of their picks, plus an extra first from the Mavericks (2023 top-10 protected, extends thorugh 2025 before turning into two second-rounders). They have interesting prospects, headlined by burly wing RJ Barrett.&nbsp;
If they <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-knicks-should-prepare-to-go-allin-for-damian-lillard-new-york-trade-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">want to go all in</a>, they very well could: picks and swaps through 2027, Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin. Kevin Knox if the Blazers want him. A literal all-in move could make fans and the front office alike a bit queasy, but that can be alleviated by the cap space the Knicks would still have this summer.&nbsp;
A Randle-led team gritted its way to a first-round appearance, then sputtered when forced to play more half-court basketball. Adding Lillard would change the math in a very real way. With those two in tow, I find it hard to believe that the Knicks would struggle to attach vets to fill things out.
Barrett began to pop this season, improving as a rim threat while making incredible strides as a spot-up shooter. Being able to force close-outs will only complement the rim pressure he already provides; that added rim volume will open more windows to showcase his underrated passing chops. The Blazers can work with that.
Beyond that, Quickley has already flashed #FloaterGawd potential, and a quick-trigger from deep if defenders don't track him closely enough over screens. I'm intrigued by Toppin playing one, with more pull-up shooters, and two, playing the 4 -- his best position. His upside is a bit lower to me because of where he is defensively, but there's a productive NBA player in there with a better roster construction around him.
OTHER LANDING SPOTS
MIAMI HEAT
The Heat are always sniffing around these kind of rumors, even when they don't have the assets on the surface.
If Portland wants to blow things up, the Heat will be at a massive disadvantage in terms of pick capital. They could get creative and work out a side deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder to try to free up some of their future picks.
Beyond that, the Heat are a bit stuck. Tyler Herro is intriguing, but falls a bit short of "blue chip" status. Precious Achiuwa had an uneven rookie season, though some of his Olympic exhibition flashes should raise some eyebrows.
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What makes the Heat intriguing in the Lillard sweepstakes is that they have the true trump card. They may be stuck if their goal is to create a Big Three with Lillard, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
If the Heat prioritize maximizing Butler's window, however, then the option of using Adebayo as a centerpiece becomes available. And if that big red button is pressed, it's hard to imagine there being a better centerpiece on the table.
DENVER NUGGETS
The Nuggets are likely content with their core. They have the MVP in Nikola Jokic, an All-Star caliber guard with high-level playoff flashes under his belt in Jamal Murray and a bona fide shot-creator in Michael Porter Jr. that can't really be defended when he has it going.
They're mentioned here because Lillard is flat-out better than Murray, and you'd need a 99th percentile outcome from Porter Jr. to reach Lillard status. With Murray coming off an ACL injury and Porter Jr. having questions about his back -- and quietly approaching his pay day -- this would be a unique opportunity for the Nuggets to cash in those chips for a legitimate All-NBAer.
Of course, those health (and money) concerns could turn off the Blazers.
Also, hey, the Nuggets just beat the Blazers and potentially pushed the Lillard situation to the brink to begin with. It's probably nothing; I'm just intrigued by this possibility.
TORONTO RAPTORS
It's worth the call if you're the Raptors. They have their picks moving forward, including the No. 4 pick in this year's draft. The fourth pick, two of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet or OG Anunoby and swaps is a (starter) package that could be eclipsed by... how many teams, exactly?
BOSTON CELTICS
The Celtics don't have the pick bounty they had a couple of years ago. They do, however, own their picks from 2022 onward. They also have Jaylen Brown, one of the best wings in the NBA on a contract that would classify as a steal at this point.&nbsp;
Portland would ask for more -- I'd guess one of Marcus Smart or Robert Williams plus Payton Pritchard at least -- but the Celtics have enough to make talks interesting.

Nekias Duncan explores potential landing spots for Damian Lillard if he's officially put on the trading block.

Examining potential trade destinations for Damian LIllard

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard &nbsp;(abdominal) will miss his second consecutive game on Wednesday versus the Miami Heat.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1478519411157843969" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Lillard and Butler have both been battling injuries all season long, and both All-Stars will be forced to miss their head-to-head matchup Wednesday night.
Lillard's next opportunity to return will come Friday vs. Cleveland and Butler's next chance to take the court will be Saturday vs. Phoenix.

Damian Lillard (abdominal) and Jimmy Butler (ankle) will miss tomorrow's matchup against each other.

Damian Lillard (abdominal), Jimmy Butler (ankle) out Wednesday

After last night's loss to the Clippers, Damian Lillard said, "I feel like the way the game is being officiated is unacceptable. I felt like, coming in, the rule change wouldn't affect me cause I don't trick the referees. I don't do the trick plays... It's unacceptable."
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/brendennunesnba/status/1458323748054990848?s=21">Brenden Nunes/Kings Herald</a>
ANALYSIS: Lillard is off to one of the worst starts of his NBA career for the 5-6 Portland Trail Blazers, averaging just 19.5 points per game on 37% shooting from the field, though he has been dealing with an injury.
Lillard is currently averaging a career-low 3.2 free throw attempts after attempting 7.2 per game over the last five seasons, which lends some credence to his complaints.

Damian Lillard: "I feel like the way the game is being officiated is unacceptable... I don't trick the referees. I don't do the trick plays."

Damian Lillard says NBA officiating has been ‘unacceptable’

For all the handwringing this summer over Damian Lillard's happiness in Portland, the Trail Blazers guard is staying put, hopeful the team's moves will pay off.
The biggest, of course, was parting ways with coach Terry Stotts after nine seasons. Portland hired Chauncey Billups, who has no prior experience as an NBA head coach.
The nucleus of Lillard, guard CJ McCollum and center Jusuf Nurkic remains intact, but Portland shored up the roster with the addition of Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller and Ben McLemore. Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter have moved on.
While the team didn't strike any splashy offseason deals, Lillard believes the Blazers are in a better place,
&ldquo;Obviously at the end of last season, I wanted to see our roster improve, I wanted us to have a better chance to win,&rdquo; Lillard said. "And we had our conversations throughout the summer about what that looked like and how we could take steps in that direction, and I come into this season with faith that that&rsquo;s going to happen and that we&rsquo;re going to do that.&rdquo;
Portland finished 42-30 last season and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The team won 10 of its final 12 regular-season games but the playoffs ended quickly with the Blazers eliminated by Denver in the opening round.
Lillard is entering his 10th NBA season. The closest he&rsquo;s come to a title was a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2019.
He ranked third in the NBA with an average of 28.8 points last season, and was in the top 10 with 7.5 assists. But it may be Portland's last season with their All-Star and Olympian, unless the team gets results.
&ldquo;I think we all know we've got to get over the hump,&rdquo; Nurkic said.
ANFERNEE'S OPPORTUNITY
Portland didn't make any moves for a proven backup point guard in the offseason, an issue that's plagued the Blazers in recent years. McCollum has taken on those duties at times.
Anfernee Simons, going into his fourth year in the NBA, is looking to fill the role.
When Lillard was given the night off in a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings, Simons scored 24 points.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s continued to make strides and stay aggressive. I want him to always just be confident," Billups said. "Even some nights those shots aren&rsquo;t going to be falling, just him being aggressive and getting spots he wants to get to and playmaking.&rdquo;
MORE INVOLVED
Nurkic is excited about taking on a greater offensive role this season.
Nurkic was frustrated with how he was used last season under Stotts, who leaned on him defensively. Nurkic averaged 11.5 points and nine rebounds last season but missed time because of a broken wrist.
Billups told Nurkic in the offseason that he'd expand his presence on both ends. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking for a big year personally for me and the team," Nurkic said.
VACCINATION STATUS
The Blazers are 100% vaccinated among the players and coaching staff. Lillard said when the vaccinations became available, he wanted to line up his whole family for the shot.
&ldquo;I have a lot of people in my family who I&rsquo;m tight with and spend a lot of time around, and I&rsquo;m just not going to put their health or their lives in danger because I have to go do research,&rdquo; Lillard said. &ldquo;As a kid I had to get shots my whole life, before I went to college I had to get shots. And I couldn&rsquo;t tell you one thing about any of them.&rdquo;
FRAUD CASE
Trail Blazers assistant coach Milt Palacio was among 18 former NBA players who were charged in federal court this month with defrauding the league&rsquo;s health and welfare benefit plan. Authorities said the scam involved claiming fictitious medical and dental expenses.
As a result, Palacio was placed on administrative leave by the Blazers.
&ldquo;The federal investigation is independent of the Trail Blazers organization and we will have no further comment pending the outcome of the legal process,&rdquo; the team said.
Former Trail Blazers Sebastian Telfair, Darius Miles and Ruben Patterson were also charged.
BUSY OFFSEASON
The Blazers backcourt didn't rest in the offseason.
Lillard got married to his college sweetheart, won an Olympic gold medal, and released new music. Not to be outdone, CJ McCollum announced he and his wife are expecting their first child, bought a winery and that he was named president of the NBA Players Association.
Lillard brought his gold medal to the team's annual media day, asking whether he should pass it around to the reporters present. Then he quickly changed his mind: &ldquo;Y&rsquo;all can&rsquo;t touch my medal.&rdquo;

For all the handwringing this summer over Damian Lillard's happiness in Portland, the Trail Blazers guard is staying put.

Damian Lillard embarking on pivotal season with Blazers

Damian Lillard plans to return from injury on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.&nbsp;
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1384728625400868875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Haynes/Yahoo Sports</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Lillard has missed the past three games with what Haynes described as "right hamstring tendinopathy." It's a big return for the Portland Trail Blazers, who have stumbled to a 3-7 record so far this month. Lillard is averaging 28.7 points, 7.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game this season as one of the best players in the NBA.&nbsp;

Lillard had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury.

Damian Lillard plans to return Wednesday against Nuggets

When the All-Star Break arrives next month things certainly won't feel normal as the "made-for-TV" event takes place in Atlanta, but there still will be a game, dunk contest, and 3-point contest like usual. While most of the participants are still unknown, we did learn on Wednesday that Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is reportedly set to compete in the NBA 3-Point Contest, according to Yahoo! Sports.&nbsp;
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Yahoo Sources: Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will participate in the 3-Point Contest in Atlanta on March 7. <a href="https://t.co/9XcKwrGi8f">https://t.co/9XcKwrGi8f</a>
&mdash; Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1362130802352345090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This season for the Blazers, Lillard is averaging 29.3 points per game while shooting 38% from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Lillard is shooting 38% from deep so far this season.

Damian Lillard to participate in 3-Point Contest

The Portland Trail Blazers <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1298843152900595712" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that point guard Damian Lillard is leaving the NBA campus in Orlando on Thursday for further examination of his injured right knee. He will fly to Portland for treatment. Lillard's availability to return to the bubble is "yet to be determined," according to the release.
Lillard injured his right knee while driving to the basket during the third quarter of Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers. He had previously dislocated his finger in Game 2 of this series, but he managed to play through it.&nbsp;
Prior to his injury, Lillard was averaging 24.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 threes in the Blazers' first-round match-up against the Lakers. Portland is currently down 3-1 in the series. Game 5 was scheduled for Wednesday, but it was postponed.
Lillard was unanimously named the Most Valuable Player of the bubble's seeding games, averaging 37.6 points, 9.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Damian Lillard is leaving the NBA campus in Orlando on Thursday for further examination of his injured right knee.

Damian Lillard leaves bubble due to knee injury

Lillard intends to give the Trail Blazers organization time to find its next leader of basketball operations. But beyond the front office component, the face of the franchise still wants significant changes to the roster. Multiple sources have told&nbsp;The Athletic&nbsp;that Lillard would like to play with Philadelphia&nbsp;76ers&nbsp;three-time All-Star&nbsp;Ben Simmons.
Source: <a href="https://theathletic.com/2999270/2021/12/06/inside-the-trail-blazers-firing-of-gm-neil-olshey-and-what-comes-next-with-franchise-cornerstone-damian-lillard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Charania also added:
"Sources say the Trail Blazers, under Olshey, discussed the framework of a trade for Simmons, moving CJ McCollum, a first-round draft pick and a young player such as&nbsp;Nassir Little&nbsp;or&nbsp;Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia. The 76ers, sources said, at one point asked the Trail Blazers for McCollum and multiple draft picks and multiple draft swaps, which Portland rejected."
It remains to be seen how potential trade discussions could work with GM Neil Olshey no longer managing the team. Charania reports that tensions between the players and first-year head coach Chauncey Billups are "on the rise" after the recent stretch of poor play. Lillard is currently sidelined due to an abdominal injury.

The Blazers reportedly offered McCollum, a first-round pick and a young player for Simmons.

Report: Damian Lillard wants to play with Ben Simmons

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/damian-lillard-freestyles-about-his-loyalty-to-the-portland-trail-blazers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Damian Lillard is a generational player that any general manager dreams of building around &mdash; known for his clutch shooting, ridiculous range, leadership, and, most importantly, loyalty.
Blazers' Postseason "Success"
Drafted in 2012, Lillard is entering his 10th season with the Portland Trail Blazers, a franchise rich in history, but also one that has failed to last in the playoffs for the last 20-ish years. They've made it to playoffs eight out of nine seasons during Dame&rsquo;s tenure, which is a pretty good result. However, they've always ended up with the participation award, failing to last throughout and reaching the conference finals just once (and it was only to be swept by the Warriors in 2018).
The Paradox of Today&rsquo;s NBA
In the last 20 years or so, the NBA has expanded its fan base globally, becoming the leading sports organization of the digital age and bringing in colossal TV contracts. In doing so, the game of basketball has naturally changed. The concept of player loyalty that we used to have in the 1970s, 1980s or even 1990s is more rare than we've ever seen it. Players are given astronomical contracts based on their potential.&nbsp;
Some players have a considerably larger social media following than their franchises, essentially being more powerful brands than their actual employers. How crazy is that? In this paradoxical environment of the "players league" we have today, some occasionally end up using the power of their brand as leverage to push their way out of situations they may dislike. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-open-letter-to-ben-simmons-from-etan-thomas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Simmons saga</a> that has been all over the headlines in the last couple of months is one instance. James Harden pushing his way out of Houston to join his buddies in Brooklyn is another prime example.
Damian Lillard&rsquo;s Loyalty to Portland
Lillard is different from the others. There is no doubting that. He has always firmly stood behind his franchise, and has been grateful for the opportunity to have the "keys to the gym." In doing so, Dame has shown loyalty and love to the people of Portland and, most importantly, the Blazers. Lillard must have gone on record a couple of hundred times saying how he will never leave Portland up until this past offseason.&nbsp;
This offseason, Dame was in serious trade discussions after publicly voicing his displeasure with the front office for not bringing in new star power. The team remained pretty much the same, but Dame ended up staying true to his word and the organization, again, thanks to none other than his new head coach &mdash; Chauncey Billups.
&ldquo;I think a big part of [my change in mindset] was me and Chauncey&rsquo;s conversations, and where we see things the same,&rdquo; Lillard said via <a href="https://theathletic.com/2901000/2021/10/19/damian-lillard-says-im-not-leaving-portland-and-one-reason-why-is-chauncey-billups/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>.
Lillard Freestyling About His Loyalty
In a recent video that went viral on Reddit, Dame was rapping about the Blazers, his teammates and his loyalty to the franchise. With his own lyrics, he said: &ldquo;Me not wanting to join a super team might end up being my Achilles heel," and made mention of Bradley Beal, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dirk Nowitzki.
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Babo 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dame_Lillard</a> <a href="https://t.co/lXZOzxbN46">pic.twitter.com/lXZOzxbN46</a>
&mdash; Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) <a href="https://twitter.com/bosnianbeast27/status/1454321062682890245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2021</a></blockquote>

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While we must appreciate Lillard for staying in Portland for so many years &mdash; through all the ups and downs &mdash; when someone needs to point out "loyalty" so often, it just becomes overkill.
I am confident there is nothing Dame wants more than winning the championship with his teammates in Portland, and for those fans. But let's remind him that Giannis, Dirk and others had to stick through the painful process of losing until they finally climbed to the top &mdash; and we didn&rsquo;t hear them overemphasizing their loyalty or complaining about the lack of star power.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net <a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

In a recent video that went viral, Damian Lillard was rapping about the Blazers, his teammates and his loyalty to the franchise.

Damian Lillard freestyles about his loyalty to Trail Blazers

Which NBA team could make the best trade offer for Damian Lillard? That was the subject of The Athletic's <a href="https://theathletic.com/2698748/2021/07/12/which-team-could-make-the-best-offer-for-damian-lillard-knicks-warriors-76ers-raptors-all-could-be-competitive/?source=user_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent roundtable piece</a>, and the Golden State Warriors were mentioned as a possible landing spot for the superstar.
"Would the Warriors get involved? Yes," said Anthony Slater, a Warriors beat writer for The Athletic. "They&rsquo;d make a call and have already internally discussed the idea, as I&rsquo;m sure most contenders have, considering the rising smoke out of Portland."
Lillard's name continues to marinate in the trade rumor mill after he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-neutral-on-rumors-surrounding-future-with-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">answered neutrally regarding questions about his future in Portland</a> last week. The Trail Blazers' superstar is currently playing for Team USA and turns 31 years old on Thursday.
While a Lillard-to-Golden-State trade seems unlikely, the Warriors could build an attractive offer that's centered around James Wiseman and their two lottery picks in this year's draft (No. 7 and No. 14).
A backcourt of Stephen Curry and Lillard would be incredibly fun to watch, as both have unlimited range and won't hesitate to pull up from the logo (as our Spencer Davies <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-damian-lillard-stephen-curry-are-exception-to-rule-bad-shot-trae-young-three-pointers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted recently)</a>.
Lillard, a six-time All-NBA selection, averaged 28.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 threes and 0.9 steals last season on 45.1/39.1/92.8 shooting splits.

Lillard has been one of the biggest names in the NBA trade rumor mill.

Warriors 'have already internally discussed' trading for Damian Lillard

Portland Trail Blazers' point guard Damian Lillard has won the 2020-21 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the team announced this afternoon.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dame_Lillard</a> has been selected as the winner of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>'s 2020-21 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award! Well deserved, Dame. ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/9QzwY26Pc1">pic.twitter.com/9QzwY26Pc1</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1400528192947904512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2021</a></blockquote>

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As the criteria notes, NBA players voted for Lillard due to his selfless play, on- and off-court leadership, and commitment to the team.&nbsp;Lillard averaged 28.2 points and 7.5 assists over 35.8 minutes per game this year, leading Portland to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.
Currently, Lillard is fighting to keep his franchise alive following a 55-point, 10-assist effort that fell just short during Tuesday's double-overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets in a crucial Game 5.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has won the 2020-21 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

Damian Lillard wins NBA Teammate of the Year Award

Sam Amick of The Athletic recently noted that Damian Lillard has long been lobbying the Portland Trail Blazers to trade for [Draymond] Green should the opportunity ever arise.&nbsp;
"If we were handicapping Draymond trade destinations if the Warriors decided to blow it up," Amick said on The Athletic NBA Show podcast. "That's the one Damian and his group have for the last couple years been campaigning for."
Source: <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/damian-lillard-has-been-lobbying-blazers-to-trade-for-warriors-draymond-green-for-years-per-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Amick of The Athletic (via CBS Sports)</a>
ANALYSIS: Although there is nothing to suggest that the Warriors will actually trade Draymond Green, it's interesting to hear that Damian Lillard has been trying to sell the Blazers on such a move.
With Klay Thompson out again this year due to an Achilles injury and Stephen Curry turning 33 years old soon, Golden State could explore rebuilding options in the near future depending on how things play out this season.

Damian Lillard has reportedly been lobbying the Blazers to trade for Warriors' Draymond Green for years.

Damian Lillard lobbying Blazers to trade for Draymond Green?

Damian Lillard responded to a Tweet today referencing the recent article published by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, suggesting that former general manager Neil Olshey may have contributed some of the information in the report:
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Can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m surprised. <a href="https://t.co/AwOUKOfGQv">https://t.co/AwOUKOfGQv</a>
&mdash; Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard/status/1468351201443938304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Wojnarowski wrote that Lillard is seeking a massive two-year extension to his current contract, which is making some prospective GM candidates wary of taking the job. Olshey was recently fired by the team after they conducted an investigation into Olshey and the Blazers' workplace culture.

Lillard responded to a Tweet that suggested Olshey leaked info to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Damian Lillard suggests Neil Olshey leaked information for ESPN story

If this summer taught Damian Lillard anything, it&rsquo;s that he's dedicated.
The Trail Blazers guard married his longtime girlfriend and the mother of this three kids, played in the Olympics despite withdrawing his name from consideration from the national team a few years ago, and worked on his second career in music.
He said the busy offseason centered him, because he acted on his convictions.
"All of those things that I stuck with is what has me here," Lillard said Monday at the team's media day. &ldquo;What keeps me so invested here is I want to see it through. I want to see it happen. I mean what I say.&rdquo;
There was speculation at the end of last season that Lillard might be looking to move on from the Blazers.
Lillard fueled rumors about his future in Portland following the team's first-round elimination from the playoffs. He posted a photo of himself in street clothes at the Moda Center, and quoted the late rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle.
&ldquo;How long should I stay dedicated?&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;How long til opportunity meet preparation?&rdquo;
But in the offseason the Blazers dismissed longtime coach Terry Stotts and hired Chauncey Billups to take over. The team also added players including forward Larry Nance Jr., center Cody Zeller and Ben McLemore.
While Portland didn't end up making making a blockbuster deal that some fans wanted, the Blazers have solid depth.
&ldquo;We've established so much as a team and as an organization, we don't want to just go do something to just to say, 'I made a change.' You want it to be in line with something that could actually make us better, something that could send us to the level that we're trying to get to," Lillard said. &ldquo;We've done some things that I like. I didn't expect us to go out there and get Kevin Durant all of the sudden.&rdquo;
Portland finished the regular season 42-30 and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The team was riding momentum, having won 10 of its final 12 regular-season games. But the playoffs were brief as Portland was eliminated in the opening round by Denver.
Lillard averaged 28.8 points and 7.5 assists during the regular season.
&ldquo;Everybody knows the affinity he has for the city, for the fan base. He's really excited,&rdquo; Billups said. &ldquo;At the end of the day, Dame wants exactly what we all want, and that's to be successful and win. I think he's happy with what's happened this summer, with our roster being a lot deeper. A little less pressure for him to be absolutely amazing every single night.&rdquo;
The Blazers announced Monday that the team is 100% vaccinated.
Lillard said the decision to get the vaccination was an easy one.
&ldquo;I have a lot of people in my family who I'm tight with and spend a lot of time around, and I'm just not going to put their health or their lives in danger because I have to go do research,&rdquo; Lillard said. &ldquo;As a kid, I had to get shots my whole life, before I went to college, I had to get shots. And I couldn't tell you one thing about any of them.&rdquo;
Lillard is entering his 10th NBA season. The closest he&rsquo;s come to a title was a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2019.
Perhaps this is the season the Blazers take the next step.
&ldquo;I think over the years we&rsquo;ve always had a competitive team, I think we&rsquo;ll be competitive again,&rdquo; Lillard said. &ldquo;Obviously, at the end of last season I wanted to see our roster improve. I wanted us to have a better chance to win. And we had our conversations throughout the summer about what that looked like, and how we could take steps in that direction. I come into this season with faith that that&rsquo;s going to happen.&rdquo;

Lillard: “What keeps me so invested here is I want to see it through. I want to see it happen. I mean what I say.”

Damian Lillard has faith Blazers will be better this season

There's certainly a possibility Lillard arrives at training camp, looks around Portland's locker room and determines the Trail Blazers roster has not been upgraded to his satisfaction. Yet there's a stronger belief in league circles that Lillard will at least venture into the regular season under new head coach Chauncey Billups, allowing him to revisit moving elsewhere before the trade deadline.&nbsp;
Source: <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2947348-new-details-emerge-on-ben-simmons-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer/Bleacher Report</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Lillard has been at the center of conflicting reports all summer about his desire to stay with the Trail Blazers. From this report, it appears he is content to at least see how the team fares in the early goings of the 2021-22 season. The 31-year-old averaged 28.8 points and 7.5 assists per game with Portland last year.

Lillard has been at the center of conflicting reports all summer about his desire to stay with the Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard likely to enter regular season without requesting trade

Great anticipation surrounds the New York Knicks' offseason, given the considerable cap space they possess, but the Knicks continue to be cited in league circles as perhaps the most likely destination for Portland's Damian Lillard if &mdash; stress&nbsp;if &mdash;&nbsp;there is a change of plans in the Pacific Northwest and the Trail Blazers make Lillard available via trade earlier than expected.
Source: <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/gold-standard-at-home-agony-abroad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein/Substack</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;To clarify, Lillard has not requested a trade from the Trail Blazers, and there is no current indication that he is leaning towards doing so. However, given the drama that has unfolded with Lillard and Portland this offseason, the situation is worth monitoring. The Knicks could have over $50 million in cap space when they hit free agency.&nbsp;

Lillard has been engulfed in rumors surrounding his future in Portland.

Damian