Damian Lillard gave the Portland Trail Blazers an ultimatum, but it didn’t have the effect he or his camp wished for.
The Blazers still used their two first-round picks to continue gathering young talent, even though he publically demanded that they improve their roster with win-now pieces.
Most people thought that would be the straw that broke the camel’s back, and even Lillard’s recent activity pointed to him finally leaving the organization.
Now, however, it feels like they just fooled us all again, as Chris Haynes reported that the Blazers’ GM met with Dame and his agent, and both parties are still committed to building a contending team and staying together.
Portland Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin issues statement on meeting with Damian Lillard: “I met with Dame and Aaron Goodwin this afternoon. We had a great dialogue. We remain committed to building a winner around Dame.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 27, 2023
The sad part is that there’s absolutely nothing the Blazers can do to build a contender around Dame.
It’s a shame to see Lillard continue to waste his prime playing for a team that seems both unwilling and unable to give him any sort of help.
But it’s also his fault at this point.
He can either pursue a championship or stay loyal to the Blazers; there’s just no way to have both, and he’ll have to settle for whatever he chooses instead of complaining about his lack of chances to compete.
The whole league has tried to save him for years now, but it seems like some people don’t want to be saved.
NEXT: Damian Lillard Reportedly Has A 'Dream Scenario' With Blazers
