Damian Lillard Says 'I Don't Take a Stance of Power' amid Blazers Trade, Draft Rumors
Amid rumors of the Portland Trail Blazers potentially looking to trade away the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, superstar guard Damian Lillard made it clear that he has no interest in calling the shots when it comes to personnel moves.
Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Lillard said he doesn't abuse the power of being the face of the franchise due to concerns over how it could impact him later in his career:
"I don't take a stance of power, I guess. If they ask me something, I'll give them the answer. I'll tell them what I really think. I'm not in there trying to make a decision or anything like that. I do my job. If something's presented to me or a question is asked to me, I give an honest answer.
"I try not to be a part of the player empowerment because we've seen enough situations where guys who were at their peak and at the top of their game had that power and influence, and when they weren't at that level anymore or the back end, people remember that. They'll remember how you used that power and how you leveraged that power. It could determine how you go out. It can affect you towards the end of your career when you might feel disrespected or dealt with in a way that doesn't represent the kind of career you had. I think in this era, you've got to be careful how you handle that position. I think we've seen cases where people have handled it in a way that wasn't the best for them. Hopefully we learned from that."
With Lillard routinely expressing his desire to stay in Portland and pursue a championship, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported this month that the Blazers have "genuine" interest in building around Lillard by trading the No. 3 overall pick and possibly guard Anfernee Simons for a star to play alongside Lillard.
While Lillard has not publicly threatened to request a trade if the Blazers can't put together a playoff-contending team, he has made it quite clear that he doesn't have much interest in a rebuild.
Speaking to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith in April, Lillard said he will have "a decision to make" if Portland is unable to make a big move and become players in the Western Conference:
If the Blazers keep the No. 3 overall pick, they will likely land a top-end prospect in forward Brandon Miller or guard Scoot Henderson, but it is unlikely either of them would push them into the playoffs immediately.
Portland finished 13th in the Western Conference last season at 33-49, putting it seven games out of the postseason play-in tournament.
The Blazers have now missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons after making it eight years in a row, and they have parted ways with some solid supporting-cast players in recent years, including C.J. McCollum, Norman Powell, Gary Trent Jr. and Josh Hart.
Portland could also lose forward Jerami Grant in free agency this offseason after he ranked third on the team in scoring last season with 20.5 points per game.
Although Lillard missed 24 games due to injury last season, he averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game, and that wasn't even close to enough to sniff the playoffs, meaning big changes are needed for the Blazers to contend again.
Lillard has made it clear that he won't press the issue and force the Blazers to reshape the roster into a contender, but if the front office can't get it done, trading the soon-to-be 33-year-old veteran may be the best option for all involved.
