Damian Lillard on NBA Free Agency: Players 'More Powerful' Recruiting Than Teams

Damian Lillard knows the game's biggest stars can't afford to sit idly by when it comes to strengthening their teams.

During a news conference officially announcing his contract extension on Saturday, Lillard acknowledged the importance of actively helping to recruit players in free agency, per ESPN's Nick Friedell:

"It's become huge. Because sometimes the coaches and the front offices, they don't have as much power as the players. The players are so friendly now. I think in the past it was like [Michael] Jordan probably didn't go out searching and trying to get guys to come join him. It was like they were competing against each other.

Now it's, 'Well, they got three stars on their team, so I know this guy and that guy, I'm going to try to get them to come to my team.' So I think you see [recruiting] a lot more now where it's just players recruiting players is more powerful than the pitch meeting with the team. That's just what it is now, so it's a huge part of the game now."

Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported June 30 that Lillard will earn $194 million over four years, with the deal going into effect once his five-year, $139 million contract expires in 2021.

There were never any serious indications Lillard wanted out of Portland. By virtue of his new extension, though, he'll be in a stronger position to act as an ambassador for the Blazers and sell stars on the idea of coming to the Pacific Northwest.

Although the Blazers reached the Western Conference Finals this past season, their sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors showed they weren't a genuine NBA title threat. Perhaps Portland is closer to that level now by virtue of the Western Conference flattening out a little bit.

Considering starting center Jusuf Nurkic is still recovering from compound fractures in his left leg, the team might still need one more marquee player to suit up alongside Lillard and CJ McCollum.

It wouldn't represent a failure on Lillard's part if the front office fails to significantly improve the roster over the next few years. But he's correct in emphasizing how NBA players are driving more and more of the biggest moves throughout the league.