Haynes: Damian Lillard Hasn't Had 'Any Recent' Talks with Blazers amid Trade Rumors

While the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly discontinued trade discussions involving star point guard Damian Lillard on Wednesday, his future with the team reportedly remains unclear.

Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT reported after the completion of Thursday's 2023 NBA draft that Lillard "has not had any recent communication with the [Blazers] involving the draft, free agency or his future."

However, Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters during his post-draft press conference that he had a "long talk" with Lillard on Tuesday morning about trade possibilities and he's been in contact with his agent Aaron Goodwin leading up to Thursday's draft.

The Blazers used the No. 3 overall pick to select promising combo guard Scoot Henderson following rampant speculation that they'd trade the pick to acquire a star player to pair with Lillard, who wants to compete for a championship at this stage in his career.

Despite failing to land an experienced star, Cronin remains steadfast in his goal to build around Lillard and keep him in Portland for the rest of his career.

"I have already said my goal is for Damian Lillard to retire a Trail Blazer. I have zero desire to trade him," Cronin said. "I hope it works out here."

Cronin indicated that the team will be aggressive in pursuing veteran players in free agency. He also said he doesn't fear the possibility of losing Lillard this offseason, though he acknowledged the 32-year-old's desire to play on a competitive roster.

"[Dame] wants it to work here, and he's challenging us to get it done, which is more than fair," he said. "He's earned that."