Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports argued in an opinion column on Friday that the Trail Blazers‘ front office ought to be taking a more aggressive approach in trying to acquire a second star to pair with Damian Lillard, taking advantage of the perennial All-Star’s prime years before the team’s window of contention closes.
Asked on Friday night about that piece, Lillard acknowledged that some things Haynes wrote were true, including the fact that this has been his most frustrating season, in large part due to a series of nagging injuries. However, he made it clear that it doesn’t mean he shares all the views conveyed in the column (video link via Casey Holdahl).
“I took it for what it was,” Lillard said. “That’s his thoughts.”
As I noted yesterday, Haynes and Lillard have a long-standing relationship, which added an extra level of intrigue to the story. It was fair to wonder – given the connection between the two – if Haynes’ comments questioning Portland’s moves and suggesting that Lillard’s loyalty wasn’t being rewarded were things the Blazers’ star was feeling. But Lillard wanted to shut down that line of thinking.
“I was kind of — what word should I use — not irritated with him because he’s a writer, that’s what he does, so I can’t expect him to not do his job,” Lillard said. “But I know because of our relationship that people would assume that I was tied to the story. So I think that was the only thing that bothered me about it.”
While Lillard attempted to distance himself from the story, the fact that he didn’t denounce it in stronger terms may fuel speculation about his future in Portland. But he’s under contract through at least 2024 and has long conveyed a desire to finish his career with the franchise, so he’s almost certainly not going anywhere anytime soon.
Still, the Blazers’ front office will likely feel a little added pressure to make organizational changes this offseason, perhaps to both the roster and the coaching staff, especially if the team experiences an early playoff exit.
Whether or not Lillard actively pushes for changes to the roster, it’s a safe bet that team president of basketball operations Neil Olshey will get his star guard’s two cents before doing anything drastic.
“I lean on the fact that me and Neil, if we have a conversation, I know that I can go into his office and tell him whatever I think,” Lillard told reporters on Friday. “And we’ve had those conversations. Same with (head coach) Terry (Stotts).”
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