Damian Lillard’s future with the Portland Trail Blazers is growing increasingly precarious by the day.
Ever since his controversial tweet situation from this past weekend, Lillard has been outwardly displaying his displeasure with the Blazers in a way he never used to. Whether it’s Jason Kidd’s rationale for snubbing him finally hitting home or Portland’s botched debacle with Becky Hammon, clearly something isn’t right.
This has led many to ask the obvious question: could a trade be on the horizon?
And if so — where?
According to NBA insider Ian Begley, the New York Knicks are very much in the hunt when it comes to acquiring Lillard:
“As you’d expect, members of the Knicks organization have been doing homework/prep work on the possibility of Lillard becoming available via trade.
“Dating back to Steve Mills’ tenure as team president, the Knicks have been keeping on eye on Lillard’s situation in Portland because some around Lillard wanted to see the six-time All Star in a bigger market.”
For what it’s worth, on Tuesday Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey spoke to the media openly and maintained that Lillard wasn’t going anywhere.
Olshey said:
“Dame and I talk all the time. Dame’s happiness always revolves around winning. The ultimate responsibility behind that falls on me and my staff to put a team together. “Every indication is that Dame doesn’t want to leave Portland. He wants to retire a Trail Blazer. He’s expressed that to the stakeholders.”
That’s the Blazers’ company line at the moment, and they’re sticking to it.
If things change, however, Lillard has already been very open about which two teams he’d like to play for if it doesn't work out in Portland. And if one of those two squads doesn’t suffice, four other teams are circling the waters, hoping for a shot at the 30-year-old.
One way or another, this promises to be a wild summer for both Lillard and Blazers fans.
More must-reads: