Blazers Meet With Dame Following NBA Draft
Portland, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers’ superstar guard, Damian Lillard, met with the team’s front office on Monday, accompanied by his agent, Aaron Goodwin, to discuss the franchise’s direction, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT.
Lillard’s meeting comes amid speculation about a potential trade request following the NBA draft, where the Blazers selected G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson and two other rookies. Lillard had previously expressed his desire for the team to add experienced talent to compete for a championship rather than embark on a youth movement.
During the meeting, Lillard did not request a trade, as reported by Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Windhorst mentioned that Lillard wants to see what the Blazers do in free agency and is willing to give them time to make moves before making any decisions. This may affect other teams’ plans as they were considering pursuing Lillard via trade.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported earlier that Lillard still strongly desires to play alongside high-level players who can make the Blazers contenders. Amick also mentioned that if Lillard and the Blazers were to part ways, Lillard has expressed interest in joining the Miami Heat to team up with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
The Blazers face the challenge of meeting Lillard’s expectations and adding win-now talent to the roster. Potential options discussed include re-signing forward Jerami Grant and acquiring Draymond Green via a sign-and-trade. However, the latter scenario appears unlikely as Green is expected to stay with the Golden State Warriors.
As the start of free agency approaches on Friday, teams will have the opportunity to make trades and negotiate with free agents. The outcome of the Blazers’ ongoing discussions with Lillard will play a significant role in shaping the team’s future.
