Damian Lillard has been pretty vocal lately about how something’s got to give at the Blazers as they failed to make postseason once again.
Earlier this week, Lillard hinted at a potential exit if the team can’t draft Victor Wembanyama and made it very clear he isn’t interested in a rebuild.
In an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, he again dropped another very pointed message to Portland’s front office.
“It ain’t a threat,” Lillard said. “ I ain’t gonna say I’m putting them on the clock, I’m just saying if those things can’t be done, (if) we can’t do something significant like that then we won’t have a chance to compete on that level. Not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will too because at that point, it’s like, ‘Are you gonna go young or are we gonna get something done?’
“I think we just kinda been on the fence with fully committing to either one. I just think we at that point now where everybody wants to win. They believe I deserve that opportunity.
“I think this is our most important offseason since I’ve been here,” he added.
It sounds like Lillard wants to remain in Portland but if they can’t come to the table with what he wants, then some tough conversations are going to be had.
One NBA Insider even suggested that Lillard could end up in Philadelphia as they look to replace James Harden, who is rumored to be heading back to Houston.
More to come.