Damian Lillard Rumors: Star Hasn't 'Seen Eye-to-Eye' with Blazers GM Neil Olshey
If Damian Lillard indeed forces his way out of Portland this offseason, it could come down to a strained relationship with the front office.
SNY's Ian Begley reported on Wednesday that there are rumblings Lillard and Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey aren't particularly close (0:28 mark):
"One element here that I've heard is, with Lillard and Neil Olshey, they have not totally seen eye-to-eye in Portland. A couple players around the league have kind of jokingly said, 'If you like Portland, if you like being in Portland, don't get close to Dame because you might get moved.' Over the course of Lillard's tenure, we've seen players that he's been close with not remain on that roster, whether it's via trade or signing somewhere else in free agency."
That followed a report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports on Sunday that the "enormous backlash from the Trail Blazers' process to hire a new coach and his concerns on whether a championship contender can be built have become factors that may push the franchise player—Lillard—out the door."
But take a deep breath, Blazers' fans. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast Tuesday: "I don’t believe, based on my conversations, that Dame is serious at this point about saying that he wants out" (h/t Steve Dewald of Blazers Edge).
Outside of the ongoing postseason and the future of Ben Simmons in Philadelphia, Lillard's feelings toward the Blazers' organization—and the possibility that he may try to force a trade at some point in the future—has dominated recent headlines around the NBA.
And for good reason. The term superstar gets tossed around quite a bit, but Lillard fits the description. The six-time All-Star and 2017-18 All-NBA first-team selection had another excellent season in 2020-21, averaging 28.8 points and 7.5 assists per game.
His 55-point performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round—even in a 147-140 double overtime loss—quickly became the stuff of legend after he hit a postseason record 12 threes and scored 17 of his team's 19 points in the two overtime sessions. Plus, he tied the game with threes with under 10 seconds remaining in both regulation and the first overtime.
And the fact that his team wasted such an epic performance was something of a microcosm for Dame's time in Portland. Despite his stardom and huge, clutch performances, the Blazers have never had the supporting cast to get over the top, or even reach an NBA Finals.
Perhaps Lillard will give it one more go with Portland, to prove Olshey can build him a true contender. Perhaps he'll retire in the city that has adored him throughout his career.
But if he were to leave, seeking a team more equipped to win a title, hardly anybody would blame him.
