There have been several developments coming out of Portland over the last few weeks and news around Damian Lillard seems to find itself at the top. Lillard is reportedly growing frustrated with the Trail Blazers’ performance as tensions appear to be increasing between him and head coach Chauncey Billups, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Despite reports suggesting Lillard’s frustration with management, the most recent development may keep the 31-year-old around Portland for the foreseeable future.
Lillard reportedly has a desire to be the highest-paid NBA player in his mid-30s, sources told ESPN’s, Adrian Wojnarowski. The 6x NBA All-Star wants a two-year, $107 million extension in July, and with the recent firing of GM Neil Olshey, Lillard and his agent need the next general manager to sell ownership of the idea.
This clearly will change the Blazers’ search process for a new GM as Lillard’s potential lucrative extension would threaten to reshape and redirect the organization in a post-playoff reality.
Portland will need to seriously weigh their options as extending their star point guard beyond his $48.8 million in 2024-2025 to pay him $51 million at 35 years old and $55 million at 36 years old will impact the bigger picture and direction of the franchise. It may be premature to say this, but Lillard’s days in Portland could be numbered…
But it’s clear if Lillard wants to win, it’s going to be in Rip City. He has most recently pushed for the Blazers to acquire Ben Simmons. recently fired general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey set up a deal that would have sent McCollum, a first-round pick, and either Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia in exchange for Simmons. The Sixers instead wanted CJ McCollum, multiple draft picks, and future draft swaps, but Portland turned it down.
Olshey was one of McCollum’s biggest believers. Now that he’s gone, McCollum’s future could appear even more uncertain in Portland. “That’s a question for somebody else,” McCollum said when asked about his future in Portland.
Meanwhile, the Blazers are still deciding whether it’ll hire a firm to research and recommend candidates, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted. Bert Kolde, the long-time ownership executive and right-hand man to the late Paul Allen, will direct the search again. It’s worth noting that Kolde has hired several GMs during his tenure.
