MARCH 28: Lillard will be shut down for the rest of the season, sources tell Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report (Twitter link). In an article for the Athletic, Charania says he expects “serious conversations” between Lillard and the Blazers about what’s next for the two sides.
MARCH 25: All-Star guard Damian Lillard may be shut down for the rest of the regular season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that the Trail Blazers are leaning toward ending the season for Lillard, who missed Friday night’s game with tightness in his right calf.
Portland has been in the midst of a tight Western Conference playoff race for most of the season, but a recent downturn has dropped the team into 13th place. The Blazers have lost seven of their last 10 games — including a 28-point defeat against the Bulls Friday night with Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons all sidelined — to fall to 32-41, three-and-a-half games out of the 10th spot.
Lillard is having one of his best seasons at age 32, averaging a career-high 32.2 points per night in 58 games, along with 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He bounced back from core surgery that limited him to 29 games last season and earned his seventh career All-Star appearance.
Although Portland is sliding out of the postseason battle, the team is moving up in the race for a high lottery selection. The Blazers currently own the league’s sixth-worst record and are just a game-and-a-half away from Orlando for the fifth-best lottery odds.
A decision to shut down Lillard, and possibly hold out some of the other rotation members, could have a significant impact on the Western Conference playoff picture. Portland will host the Thunder and Pelicans Sunday and Monday and then has two home games with the Kings to wind up the month. The Blazers will also face the Timberwolves, Grizzlies and Clippers before the season ends.
I would love to see him in the playoffs again.
Another wasted season playing for Portland
shut down bradley beal too
If they do, he’s just played his last game ever as a Blazer. Let the rumor mill begin!
Its possible. If any team needs to rebuild, its the blazers.
That’s the logical thing to do but for the Blazers you don’t trade the face of the franchise unless he asks out.
Dame wasting away his career with Portland.
Why?!?!?
Yeah right. He can still walk around like a hero. I wouldn’t leave. I could fix their team in one season
Shut him down and try talk some sense into him about being traded. It’s be cool if he won a title in Portland but I just cant see it with Nurkic getting hurt every season.
And who exactly do you think is going to do that??? Portland??? So if the Lakers don’t make the playoffs, should they also sit down and talk some sense into Lebron and Davis to be traded?
Teams prove year in and year out that no one is untradable. They just shed salaries and picks.
Depressing. I don’t know if it’s better for teams to be transparent about this stuff or not, but it’s a bad look for basketball.
How’s it a bad look??? He’s been dealing with a calf injury throughout the season. If they have no chance to even make the play-in, why would you keep play him in meaningless games and potentially cause a more serious injury. It’s no different than teams pulling their starters in a blowout game.
He’s right,very bad look. Until mathematical out play your stars. Talented team by the way.
It’s a bad look when a team tells season ticket holders they are voluntarily shutting down the main attraction.
POR has done a feeble job over the past decade in building a team around Lillard. But even if they had done a good job, it’s unlikely things would be much different. Lillard is a great volume shooter with a good handle, but the rest of his game too ordinary for him to be the best player on a championship team. The reason he’s not winning a championship in POR (or anywhere else as a team’s best player) is in the mirror.
I find it difficult to believe that the rest of the league doesn’t know this, even if many here don’t. Thus, I don’t think there’s any pot of gold in trade assets coming back to POR should they decide to trade him. They should be able to get off that contract as long as he’s healthy, and an ordinary asset or two, but not more than that.
Tell us you think your the smartest person in the room without telling us you think your the smartest person in the room.
So you think if Portland traded him, they’re only going to get a couple picks or a player and pick???
That status is entirely unimportant to me, regardless of what room it is or who’s in it. Unless, of course, you’re the only other person in the room, then I would hope it would go without saying.
If POR were to trade him this off season, without taking back longer term money, then, yes, I think they would be (or at least should be) looking at a package similar to what WSH got for Westbrick.
This is satire, right?
No, but I wasn’t referring to a trade in a fantasy league. I expect you’ll have to give up much more.
I’m with you DXC. At his age and his money I don’t think you get a ton back if you’re not receiving years and money and an albatross situation in return. Maybe two young guys and a pic? Maybe one young guy and two picks?
Definitely not getting an Anthony Davis haul or a Paul George haul, that’s for darn sure. Sure he’s a gamer but he’s not a two-way player. Davis and George are all stars on both ends so you get a truckload back. Damian Lillard is not that. DXC is correct here.
This entire conversation is satire. Lillard has made it abundantly clear he’s going nowhere. Most of the nattering about him leaving Portland simply ignores that Lillard sets high value on the worth of loyalty. It’s downright anti-American I tell ya.
Lottery pick ….. top 6.
Prolific shooting point guards are popular in the league now but success is limited when your floor general is the go to guy. Point guards should not be the featured scorer on your team if you want to win a chip. Dame won’t win a chip the way he plays. Zeke Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Chef Curry are the only point guards to win championships and lead their team in shots all season and they are all very unique and cerebral team players. Dame can score but I don’t classify him with those dudes. That said they all had better teams then Dame, so that’s on the organization. We may never see the best version of Lillard with this team as time is just about out.
Really don’t see a market for how Dame gets traded.
1 Dame himself will not ask or demand a trade. He’s already said multiple times publicly that he doesn’t care to chase a ring and have that for his legacy he’d much rather stay in Portland and go down as a 1 team player and legend for his team.
So if it’s not coming from Dame it’s coming from the organisation and there’s no package they get that’ll give them the better player. Dame is a borderline top 10 guy in this league, and there’s no way anyone better than him or really of equal ability is just swapped for him so no matter what it’ll be for a rebuilding package.
I mean rebuilding right now wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Dame is 32, but just had his best season statistically. His deal is enormous and getting off that would be amazing. Jermai Grant also needs a huge deal so going rebuild mode saves you giving him that. You’ve got replacements already with Simons and Sharpe. You could bring back other young guys like Thybulle and Reddish and see what they got.
Right now would actually be a fantastic time but what teams out there need Dame and can offer what you want….
Philly could with Tobias and Maxey plus picks and that’s a possibility. As a Sixers fan I wouldn’t be stoked with Dames contracts paired with Hardens extension and Joel’s injury concerns. However that’s really the only really likely option.
Lakers, Miami, Clippers, Bucks, Suns, Dallas, etc don’t have the young player and picks.
Don’t think Boston gives up Jaylen which is what it would take. Same with Denver and Jamal Murray. Then a there’s teams that are set at point guard such as Atlanta, GSW, Detroit, Indiana, Cleveland, OKC and Memphis.
Teams I’d give a 1% chance would be
Orlando
Dame for Fultz, Isaacs, Wagner, Cole Anthony and maybe 2 firsts. However it leaves them with very little outside of Dame and Paolo and in a very competitive east probably doesn’t move the needle enough.
Then lastly New Orleans..
Dame for Ingram, Daniels, Temple and 2 firsts
Maybe New Orleans are sick of not making the playoffs and injuries to star young players they just say who cares and get Dame.
Damage CJ Zion Big Val Herb Jones Jose Trey they’d easily have enough talent and they’d still have left over picks. For Portland Daniels Simons Sharpe Ingram that’s your new core plus the picks obviously. Not sure if you’d bring Grant back or try to continue going younger and maybe look for Kyle Kuzma, Cam Johnson, etc
That’s why ultimately I think Dame stays, Grant gets a huge extension and they continue to just do the same thing over and over again.
Clips will look to do something for the sake of something after they flame out next month –
They got the nice expiring salary matches that Por would Covet
A 28 unprotected and 29 swap could do it
Possibly the 28 and 30 on the high end
That’s definitely not enough expiring deals and late round draft picks in future years.
The young talent they have BJ Boston, Bones Hyland, Terrance Mann all aren’t that attractive, the best if the bunch, bones was available for 2 seconds at the deadline.
I j ow they’d love to add him but can’t see how they get it done
What everyone here has wrong is the # of years Dame will continue to be incredibly effective. 32 and having his best year. His game doesn’t rely on incredible athleticism (well not by NBA standards at least) so he will be able to contribute for at a high level at least 5 more years. That’s enough time get the pieces they need and build that cohesion necessary for a ring.
More copium plz
Bros had over 12 years in the league for them to build something and get a ring. It’s not happening when he’s 37….
Now sign Brandon Williams Portland
Truly shameful season for Portland. Nothing rosy about it.
awww no more dame that stinks.
Lame Time
No reason to sit Lillard unless you plan on trading him in the off-season.
The filth in Portland is everywhere, its unavoidable, people are moving out of the city like Rats from a sinking ship. No joke.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Dame-time is finally up for the Blazers this off-season, and both sides have had a change of heart.
Dame deserves better. Trade him to a place that can win and would appreciate him.
Trade him for Ben Simmons picks and whatever else they can get from the Nets. Portland will not be winning no championship. The west has the Pelicans and and the griz on the rise. Nuggets Suns and Clips are solid too.