That sound you heard was the Portland Trail Blazers and their fans having a sigh of relief that superstar point guard Damian Lillard continues to commit to the organization long-term. Lillard was stern over the NBA offseason when saying he wasn’t going to demand a trade and he has doubled and tripled down on that sentiment since.
Lillard wants to play for the Trail Blazers and they are ecstatic to have him. He is one of the best players in the NBA and gives them a chance to win every night the team steps on the court.
His loyalty is something that should be applauded because no one would blame him if he requested a trade from Portland. The front office has failed to put a competitive team around him to help them become true contenders in the Western Conference.
This past offseason, he urged the team to make some changes and upgrade the roster. Ben McLemore, Tony Snell, and Cody Zeller were signed in free agency as a response. Larry Nance Jr. was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that also included the Chicago Bulls.
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Not the type of moves you would expect when your star player urges for change, but Lillard was reportedly pleased with them. But, the one player he would like to play with is Draymond Green.
The Golden State Warriors’ defensive ace is someone that Lillard is reportedly obsessed with playing alongside. It was discussed recently on the HoopsHype podcast.
“The Blazers would love to have him. (Damian) Lillard has been obsessed with getting him there for a while.
Late last season, they went 15-5 down the stretch, and they went small without Wiseman, which fits Draymond. His foot healed, his conditioning was back, the stakes were back. Green kind of needs high-stakes basketball to care. He always kind of stinks when his team stinks because he just stops caring.”
Having a player such as Green in the fold would make life a lot easier for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. A lot of the offense could be run through Green, who is an outstanding playmaker from the frontcourt.
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In addition to his playmaking ability, Draymond Green is as good as it gets from a defensive perspective, as he’s shown with the Golden State Warriors. He is still among the best in the business on that end of the court with his versatility to defend every opposing player regardless of position.
That kind of defensive presence is exactly what the Portland Trail Blazers need to help get to the next level. They are as explosive as any team offensively, but for how impressive they are scoring the ball, they disappoint when it comes to stopping teams from doing the same.
