Damian Lillard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Gay, Lillard, Nnaji

December 12th, 2021 at 3:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The 11-15 Timberwolves‘ current five-game losing streak, which includes three consecutive home blowout defeats, displays Minnesota’s clear need for more frontcourt help, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Adding someone at the level of 6’11” Pacers big man Myles Turner, a solid defender and floor spacer, could be exactly the cure for what ails them.

“We’re not putting the work in,” Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns noted of the club’s recent losing streak. “It’s as simple as that. We gotta put more work in. All of us. Top to bottom.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

New reserve Jazz forward Rudy Gay has proven to be exactly what the doctor ordered for Utah this season, writes Mark Schindler of Basketball News. When he plays alongside All-Star starting Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Gay has been particularly effective. Lineups featuring that tandem have outscored opponents by 24.3 points per 100 possessions. Because the bulky 6’8″, 250-pound Gay can convincingly defend centers on switches, he operates as a helpful release valve for Gobert, who can struggle guarding opponents along the perimeter on switches.
Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard has taken umbrage with what he perceives to be the media’s depiction of him as being somewhat wishy-washy in his thinking, per Portland’s official Twitter account (video link). “You can criticize how I play or who I am as a player, that’s one thing,” Lillard said. “But who I am as a person and the things that I say, I mean them. That’s one thing that I stand on and I know people can’t challenge me on that.”
Second-year Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji is doing his darnedest to improve this season, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. With long-term injuries sidelining forwards Michael Porter Jr. and P.J. Dozier, Nnaji has carved out some legitimate rotation minutes this month, Singer observes. He is averaging 6.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG, across 17.6 MPG this month. Especially notable, Nnaji is shooting 58.6% from long range this year, tops in the league for volume three-point shooting (defined as two or more triples taken a night). Denver head coach Michael Malone is already a fan. “He is self-motivated,” Malone said. “He is a guy that is not allowing his maybe not playing or Summer League failures to identify and define him, and that’s kind of who Zeke is. He’s a guy that does everything hard. You’re never gonna catch Zeke Nnaji cutting corners.”

Momentum Towards Ben Simmons Trade, Lillard Off The Table

December 10th, 2021 at 4:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Momentum is building towards a Ben Simmons trade for the Sixers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN (Twitter link). Several teams are engaged with Philadelphia at the moment, with the 76ers discussing both two- and three-way deals. Philly is still searching for a top-tier player, Woj adds.

In a follow-up tweet, Wojnarowski relays that the increased activity is partially due to the fact that December 15 is just days away. That’s the date when most offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades.

Woj also says that the Trail Blazers have told the Sixers that Damian Lillard is off the table in trade talks, adding that interim GM Joe Cronin is committed to building around Lillard, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay in Portland long-term (Twitter links).

It’s only natural that trade talks would pick up around Dec. 15, but it’s interesting that the timing coincides with the Pacers listening to offers for Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner.

I’m not trying to imply that the Sixers necessarily want any of those three players, as Sabonis and Turner have positional overlap with Joel Embiid and LeVert has struggled thus far, but it’s definitely possible that the Pacers – who were linked to Simmons earlier this year – could be involved in the three-way talks.

Blazers Notes: Cronin, Lillard, McCollum, Trade Targets, Luxury Tax

December 9th, 2021 at 7:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Blazers interim general manager Joe Cronin said the roster requires some changes and vows it will happen, Mark Medina of NBA.com tweets. “We know there’s something we need to do with the roster, and we will,” he said.

Cronin has “constant communications” with Damian Lillard about the roster. Cronin also indicated that Lillard and CJ McCollum are “happy” with head coach Chauncey Billups and his staff.

Cronin says he has the backing of the team’s ownership, Medina adds in another tweet. “They told me they believe in me,” he said. “They haven’t made many declarations other than this is a nice venue for you to do good work, you’ll be evaluated and you’ll have a chance.”

Cronin was the team’s director of player personnel before GM Neil Olshey was fired last week.

We have more on the Blazers:

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan discuss trade scenarios involving McCollum — currently out with a collapsed lung — and the search for new GM in a podcast. Scotto believes the franchise should pursue trades for their backcourt stars and start a rebuild.
Gozlan explores potential trade targets for McCollum, including Ben Simmons, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner and others, in a separate HoopsHype story.
Whether they make big or small moves, the Blazers have to find a way to get under the luxury tax threshold, The Athletic’s John Hollinger writes. They’re currently $3MM over the tax line and it’s not worth paying that price, given the team’s current issues.

Damian Lillard: “I’m Not Asking For A Trade”

December 8th, 2021 at 5:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard has tried again to quell speculation that he wants out of Portland, Ros Gold-Onwude of ESPN reports on “NBA Today” (video link). Addressing the media during today’s shootaround, Lillard stated emphatically that he plans to give the Trail Blazers more time to recover from their slow start.

“I’m not asking for a trade,” he told reporters. “… My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure this out.”

Lillard recognizes that injuries and unrest in the organization have contributed to the team’s 11-14 record, which ranks 10th in the Western Conference, just a half-game ahead of the Kings for the final play-in spot. Those injuries include Lillard, who will miss his fifth straight game tonight with an abdominal issue, and backcourt mate CJ McCollum, who is sidelined with a collapsed lung.

Lillard is likely responding to a report Monday that he’s growing frustrated with the Blazers and wants the organization to work out a trade with the Sixers for Ben Simmons. He stated that other people have been speaking for him and said he’s in the office every day with coach Chauncey Billups trying to figure out the team’s problems.

“Why would I be part of trying to find solutions if I’m planning an exit?” Lillard asked.

It has been a difficult season for Lillard, who is averaging just 21.5 points per game while shooting 39.7% from the field and 30.2% from three-point range, all down significantly from last season. In addition, there has been off-the-court strife, with the latest incident being the decision to fire general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey last week following an investigation into his workplace conduct.

Gold-Onwude also talked to Billups, who describes his relationship with Lillard as “strong” and says they are working together to give the team a successful future.

Damian Lillard Had Cortisone Injection, Could Return Sunday

December 8th, 2021 at 2:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard had a cortisone injection in order to mitigate the pain from his abdominal injury, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes notes that Lillard is scheduled to be re-evaluated Friday and could return as soon as Sunday versus Minnesota.

Lillard has been dealing with the injury for a few years, but the pain had gotten worse prior to the injection, Haynes adds. Cortisone shots are typically short-term solutions, so it’s not clear if the injury will heal with rest or a more invasive procedure might be necessary in the future. Lillard reportedly considered surgery over the offseason to address the injury.

There’s been a lot of turmoil, injuries, and trade speculation out of Portland recently, and Lillard’s performance upon his return could impact potential suitors. He has gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, averaging 21.5 PPG with a .397 FG% and a .302 3PT% through 20 games (35.7 MPG). That scoring average would be his lowest mark since 2014/15, while the shooting numbers are career worsts.

Blazers Rumors: Lillard, Front Office, McCollum, Nurkic, Covington, More

December 7th, 2021 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will become eligible for a two-year, $106MM extension during the 2022 offseason. That extension – which Lillard wants to lock in, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski – would begin in 2025/26 and would cover his age-35 and age-36 seasons.

Lillard and his agent need Portland’s next permanent general manager to sell team ownership on offering that super-max extension, according to Wojnarowski, who hears that the guard’s camp had concerns about Neil Olshey‘s willingness to recommend such an offer to Jody Allen. Chris Mannix of SI.com also hears that Olshey wasn’t sold on tacking two more years (at $51MM and $55MM) onto Lillard’s deal.

Although Lillard and his camp will be motivated to help the Blazers find a GM who is receptive to offering that extension, most of the top-level candidates who figure to draw interest from Portland aren’t enthusiastic about making that offer, says Wojnarowski. In fact, some of those potential candidates told Woj that they’d be more interested in the Blazers’ job if they could trade Lillard and rebuild, rather than extending the six-time All-Star.

According to Wojnarowski, Lillard’s camp is “privately selling the idea” of the Blazers trading some of their current players and continuing to build around Dame (on a new extension). However, candidates for the permanent general manager job in Portland believe they’ll need to sell themselves to team ownership, not to Lillard and his camp.

While it remains possible Lillard’s group will have some input in the GM choice, Wojnarowski suggests they’ve been “thwarted on several leverage plays” this year, including their preference for Jason Kidd as Terry Stotts‘ replacement and their desire to trade for Ben Simmons.

Here are several more rumors out of Portland:

The Blazers haven’t begun reaching out to potential candidates for the permanent GM job, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who hears that there’s no concrete list of contenders yet beyond interim GM Joe Cronin. The organization is still deciding whether to hire a firm to research and recommend candidates, per Wojnarowski.
The Pelicans offered Jrue Holiday to Portland in 2020 in exchange for CJ McCollum and three first-round picks, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. A deal involving McCollum remains possible, but the Blazers are considered more likely to move Jusuf Nurkic and/or Robert Covington, says Fischer, adding that the team is “presently known to be down on both players.”
Lillard has expressed interest since the 2020 offseason in a handful of defensively-minded wings, per Fischer. Besides Simmons, Lillard has also shown interest in playing with Jaylen Brown and Aaron Gordon, sources tell Bleacher Report.
According to Fischer, Lillard’s lower abdominal tendinopathy is an injury that has bothered him off and on for years. The All-NBA guard even considered surgery this past offseason to address the issue, Fischer adds.
There are several teams with interest in trading for Lillard, but three teams in that group told Wojnarowski they’d want to wait for the 31-year-old to request a trade before calling Portland, since the Blazers’ leverage would be reduced in that scenario. The Sixers have made an offer, but the Knicks haven’t, Wojnarowski adds. For his part, Lillard would have limited leverage to push for a specific landing spot if he asks out, since he still has three more years left on his current contract after 2021/22.
Multiple league sources with knowledge of the situation tell Fischer that some Blazers players this season have been frustrated with Chauncey Billups‘ “coaching demeanor,” as well as his offensive system. In the latest Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Ohm Youngmisuk, and Ramona Shelburne discussed the fact that Billups’ tendency to call out players publicly may rub the current generation the wrong way.
There have been whispers that Blazers owner Jody Allen might decide to sell her stake in the Blazers following the NBA’s next television agreement, says Fischer. If that’s the plan, there will be even more pressure on the team to make sure its next front office hire and big roster moves are the right ones.

CJ McCollum Talks Lillard, Olshey, Trade Rumors, More

December 7th, 2021 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

The dismissal of Trail Blazers head of basketball operations Neil Olshey could have a real impact on the future of guard CJ McCollum, whom Olshey valued especially highly.

Under Olshey’s leadership, the Blazers were extremely resistant to moving McCollum, even though he looked like the most obvious trade candidate if the team sought to make a splash and acquire another star to complement Damian Lillard.

In the wake of Olshey’s firing, McCollum’s top advocate within the organization is gone. And a report on Monday suggested that Lillard would like to see the club acquire Ben Simmons to improve its defense — such a deal would likely require McCollum’s inclusion.

Asked by Jason Quick of The Athletic about whether Lillard’s push for roster upgrades – possibly at McCollum’s expense – has put a strain on their relationship at all, McCollum said he remains close with his longtime backcourt partner.

“Me and Dame have a good relationship,” McCollum said. “I think when Dame speaks, you hear him. When you hear ‘sources’ and ‘anonymous,’ I don’t necessarily know if that is Dame or not, because it’s not Dame putting his name on it. He generally puts his name on things. I know where he stands with me, and he knows where I stand with him. The organization, they need to do what is best for themselves.

“… If he wanted me to leave, I think he would say that. He’s not speaking on me behind closed doors because that’s not in his DNA. He’s not built like that. He’s solid, and I know his word is his bond.”

McCollum admitted that it has been a tough season so far. The 11-14 Blazers are off to a slow start, and the 30-year-old guard’s numbers are down — his 20.6 PPG is his lowest mark since 2014/15 and his .424 FG% would be the second-worst shooting rate of his career. McCollum said that he and his wife are expecting their first child in a matter of weeks, which has diverted his focus away from the court at times.

McCollum stressed that it’s not in his character to “run from” adversity, but acknowledged that he isn’t oblivious to rumors about the Blazers potentially making changes to their roster after having overhauled their coaching staff and front office this year. He spoke to Quick about a handful of topics in a discussion that’s worth checking out in full if you’re an Athletic subscriber. Here are some of the highlights:

On his first impressions of head coach Chauncey Billups, including Billups’ willingness to call out the Blazers’ players if he’s not happy with their effort:

“I like Chauncey. I like his approach. I think he’s approaching things the right way. He’s not a guy who thinks he knows it all. I think he’s approaching things the right way — asking for feedback, asking questions, and he’s holding himself accountable, which is important. It’s on us to be better, and he has stated that.”

On Olshey’s exit from the franchise:

“It was tough, unfortunate. Neil is a good friend of mine, obviously. He was someone who had faith in me, trust and belief in me, and I was in a solid position. I mean, a GM of a franchise, having been in the NBA a long time … it was just unfortunate that the situation occurred, and what happened in the investigation. I mean, obviously, they found something that was worthy of letting him go, which is not ideal. But it was tough.”

On the general upheaval within the organization:

“This is different than anything I’ve ever experienced because of the circumstances. This is the first year of my career where we lost our whole coaching staff, brought in a new coach, a new staff, the GM gets fired in the middle of the season … all of that affects you on the court. But there is no excuses. I didn’t come here to tell you ‘There’s a lot of s–t going on’ … but yeah, there is. There’s s–t going on — every day. And I’m a f—ing human being. But look, at the end of the day, my job is to play basketball. So I go play basketball.”

On whether he feels less certain about his future in Portland with Olshey gone:

“That’s a question for somebody else. I just do my job: show up for work and do my job.”

Atlantic Notes: Irving, Schroder, McCollum, Raptors

December 6th, 2021 at 6:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Would Kyrie Irving be willing to receive a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine when it’s approved? That might sway him, people close to the enigmatic Nets guard told Mark Sanchez of the New York Post. Irving is a vegan, Sanchez notes, and plant-based vaccines are being tested, including one from a Canadian biotech company that is going through clinical trials.

It’s uncertain when such vaccines would be approved in the U.S. Nets head coach Steve Nash has not talked with Irving about a possible plant-based option. “If we get the gift of his return, we’ll be ecstatic, but we can’t count on it,” Nash said.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Dennis Schroder has provided a jolt to the Celtics’ offense with his speed and isolation ability, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Schroder has averaged 17.9 PPG and 4.9 APG while starting 14 of 23 games. Schroder is thus far pumping up his value after settling for a one-year, $5.9MM contract during a disappointing foray into free agency over the summer.
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is reportedly lobbying for the acquisition of Ben Simmons with CJ McCollum potentially being the most prominent player coming back to the Sixers. PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck doesn’t see McCollum as the impact player the Sixers are seeking for Simmons. While McCollum would boost the offense, he is in the first year of a three-year, $100MM contract. It’s a high price tag for a player who doesn’t produce at an elite level and wouldn’t help the Sixers defensively, and the money he’s making would make him difficult to trade.
The Raptors have held Milwaukee to 93 points and Washington to 90 while recording back-to-back victories. Coach Nick Nurse is pleased by the team’s defensive improvement, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes. “We were really connected,” Nurse said after the Wizards’ game. “Just not a whole lot of mistakes and most of the shots had somebody in front of them, one way or another and it’s good to see.”

Damian Lillard Losing Patience In Portland, Wants Blazers To Trade For Ben Simmons

December 6th, 2021 at 8:54am CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard is becoming frustrated with the Trail Blazers’ performance, and tensions appear to be increasing between the players and new coach Chauncey Billups, sources tell Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Portland’s front office didn’t make the significant roster changes that Lillard requested during the offseason, and the team has fallen to 11-13 after a pair of lopsided losses. Charania and Amick say that Lillard would like to see the Blazers acquire Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons to help improve a defense that ranks last in the league.

Sources tell the authors that the front office, under recently fired general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, set a framework of a deal that would have sent CJ McCollum, a first-round pick, and either Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia in exchange for Simmons. The Sixers reportedly countered by asking for McCollum along with multiple draft picks and future draft swaps, which Portland turned down.

It’s not clear if that offer is still on the table or if any major deal will be made before Olshey’s permanent replacement is hired, according to Charania and Amick.

Olshey never lost confidence in the roster that he built, which is why he didn’t overhaul it after Lillard’s offseason request. He also ignored Lillard’s desire to consider Jason Kidd as head coach after firing Terry Stotts, making a controversial move with Billups instead. Lillard wanted an experienced coach instead of a first-timer like Billups and was willing to accept Mike D’Antoni as well, according to the authors.

Although Billups has vowed to improve the team’s defense from the time he was hired, Portland’s performance on that end of the court hasn’t changed. Billups has also alienated players by publicly criticizing their effort after losses, with the latest instance coming Saturday.

“Competitive fire and pride, that’s something you either have or don’t have,” Billups said after his team gave up 145 points to the Celtics. “That’s something you can’t turn off and turn on. … I’ve never seen a team that needs its bench to inspire our starters. (That’s) crazy to me. It’s supposed to be the other way around.”

Lillard’s decline in production is also contributing to his frustration. He’s dealing with an abdominal injury that will keep him out of action at least through the end of the week. His scoring average has fallen from 28.8 PPG last season to 21.5 PPG so far this year. He’s getting fewer shots in Billups’ offense and is connecting at a career-worst 39.7% from the field and 30.2% on three-pointers. He’s also being used in pick-and-rolls less frequently than under Stotts and is seeing fewer free throw attempts.

Lillard still hasn’t asked for a trade and plans to give the organization time to find a new leader before deciding on his next move, Charania and Amick add. However, his desire for a roster upgrade hasn’t changed.

There are two important dates to watch in determining Lillard’s future with Portland, the authors note. The trade deadline is February 10, roughly two months away, so if Lillard wants to leave the Blazers this season, he will have to request a deal by then. The other is July 6, when Lillard will become eligible for a super-max extension that would be worth $106.6MM over two seasons and would push his contract through the 2026/27 season. Lillard’s ultimate decisions will likely be determined by what the team does with its roster by then.

Northwest Notes: Blazers, Lillard, Finch, Rockets

December 5th, 2021 at 8:03pm CST by JD Shaw

Now that the Trail Blazers have fired general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, Dan Devine of The Ringer wonders if the move will jump-start the process of Damian Lillard asking for a trade.

Olshey’s firing came less than 24 hours after Portland lost to San Antonio 114-83, but the team clarified that he violated the franchise’s code of conduct. The decision came following a month-long investigation into complaints that Olshey had created a toxic work environment.

On the court, Portland’s product hasn’t been much better. The team has struggled defensively and is a mediocre 11-13, allowing 145 points to Boston in its most recent loss.

“My biggest concern at the moment is I want us to compete harder,” head coach Chauncey Billups said after the San Antonio game, as relayed by Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I want us to be more competitive in every game. And I don’t feel like every night we do that. And that concerns me.”

Here are some other notes from the Northwest Division:

In a separate story for The Athletic, Quick examines what could be next for the Trail Blazers. Portland, having promoted director of player personnel Joe Cronin to interim GM after firing Olshey, has upcoming games against the Clippers on Monday and Warriors on Wednesday, followed by a four-game homestand.
The National Basketball Coaches Association and president coach Rick Carlisle apologized to Timberwolves coach Chris Finch for a statement that was released when he was hired this year, as relayed by Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The statement accused the Wolves of not conducting a thorough and diverse search for a head coach. “We apologized to Chris for that,” Carlisle said. “That wasn’t fair to him. It was no reflection on who he is as a person, coach or anything like that. This summer we got a chance to talk to him about it when we met as an association. It’s pretty clear why he got the job. I’m really happy for him.”
The Rockets currently hold the league’s longest win streak at five games, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets. Head coach Stephen Silas admitted the streak is good for the team’s confidence, especially when the club had lost 16 of its previous 17 games. “It feels good, especially considering where we came from, but there’s been some things that led to it and it’s more about those things that led to it than the actual results,” he said as part of a larger quote.