Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has progressed through the initial phase of his abdominal surgery rehab without a setback, the team announced today.
Lillard, a five-time All-Star, underwent surgery on January 13 and hasn’t played since. He will begin reconditioning next week and will be reevaluated again in two-to-three weeks.
Lillard has appeared in 29 games this season, averaging 24.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest on a career-low 40% shooting.
Portland has re-shaped its roster in recent weeks, trading away key pieces such as CJ McCollum, Norman Powell and Robert Covington. The team holds a 5-4 record in February and currently sits 10th in the Western Conference standings.
Rival teams have monitored Lillard’s status with the Blazers, who haven’t reached the NBA Finals once in his 10 years with the team. Despite a disappointing season, he recently reiterated his commitment to the team (as relayed by Adam Caparell of Complex Sports).
“I’m loyal to what I believe,” Lillard said. “I do love living in Portland. I do love playing for the Trail Blazers. But I’ve built this. I’ve been part of this for 10 years. I’ve been part of the change here and us being a successful franchise. I know what means something to me in my heart. And that’s winning a championship here.”
He can waste his career if he wants to. I thought he was a winner and wanted to win?
Seriously I think the Blazers gave it their best shot these last couple of years when they picked up different guys. You can’t say they haven’t at least tried to put together a roster.
Picked up the big Center, picked up some Shooters and Defenders. They gave it a good shot but now it’s time to turn it over.
Agreed but I don’t see a top 7 team having the fit or right package back leaving him to probably a mid tier team
There would be a lot of interest but difficult to find right package right place right time for both parties all at once. Someone will have to bend
Memphis jumps out if they want to view him more as a Ray Allen SG than Pg w Ja at point. This would probably be everyone’s best bet at appeasement, and yea that trade would jump them in top 7 for me
I could see the Hawks as well under same thinking w Trae at point and they have nice chips/picks to consolidate a little
Maybe there’s a team like Phoenix who was out of playoff range that needed a point guard and leader to put it all together?
I don’t see it
Cleveland and Boston might have the desire but the packages back aren’t going to be great without crippling said team too much
Boston would be paying an extreme tax as well for a long time
Cle doesn’t have much young controlled cheap talent to supplement the picks, tho they could get it done if they went hard
The best offers for Portland would probably come from the teams near play-in territory this year tbh but that defeats Dame’s (maybe) desire to move at all
Cleveland has a point guard that may already be better than him.
They’re supposed to rip up the young team they built to get a 31 year-old coming off of major surgery?
The blazers front office is a joke. They traded away a ascending player in Trent making little money in a trade for Powell(knowing he was about to get paid) only to give him 90mil only to trade him less than a year later. If I’m Dame I kicking myself. He missed the boat to get out of Portland and now he is injured and his stats were declining before the surgery
Blazers will never get anywhere paying dame to be just dame. Can’t put my finger on it, but he is never enough. So many players have came and left and now no CJ.
Blazer 4 life
He might be one of those guys. A little more old school.
Dame will have a great career when it’s all said and done. It’s a shame he’ll never get a chance to play on a big stage.
No biggie there, dude!
Not everyone can have a shot, specially in the era Dame played have been some truly dominant teams like MIA, CLE & GSW… at the end of the day he has had a legendary career, that is all that matters!
I call it the flipping asset trade
Dame and K Dunn to Nets
Sac gets Simmons
Lakers get Harrison Barnes
Blazers get THT, Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe with 5 firsts, 2 from Brk via Philly, 2 from Sac, and Lakers 2027 first rounder. Plus Blazers save close to 28 million in said trade which creates that same amount in a TPE.
Misspelled Dunn meant Nunn