The Trail Blazers are getting calls about Damian Lillard, but they’re telling interested teams that he’s “unequivocally” not available, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Lillard has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain in Portland to try to bring a championship to the city. He has signed three extensions with the team, including a two-year agreement in July that will run through the 2026-27 season if he decides to exercise a player option.
Lillard recently earned his seventh All-Star selection and remains an elite player at age 32, averaging 30.9 points and 7.3 assists through 43 games. He has bounced back fully from abdominal surgery that limited him to 29 games last season.
The Trail Blazers nose-dived once Lillard was sidelined last year, but they headed into the summer determined to rebuild a contender around him. After a series of offseason personnel moves, Portland is currently holding on to the final play-in spot at 27-28.
However, the Blazers sold off an asset Wednesday night, sending starting swingman Josh Hart to the Knicks in exchange for a draft pick and Cam Reddish, who had been stuck on New York’s bench since early December.
Portland appears committed to keeping Lillard, although it’s worth noting that the Nets leaked similar statements about Kevin Durant before agreeing to send him to Phoenix Wednesday night. Perhaps the use of the word “unequivocally” is a message that the Blazers’ stance is firm.
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