The NBA offseason is undefeated, with plenty of major storylines to follow. This time around, one of the most intriguing subjects is the ultimate fate of Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard’s desire is to win and the current makeup of Portland’s roster doesn’t exactly scream a legitimate shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy. If the Blazers want to prevent Lillard from further dreaming of forcing his way out of the fold of the team, the best way to do it is to surround him with better talent.
Enter Draymond Green, who, along with Jerami Grant, might be the key to quelling Lillard’s appetite for leaving Portland.
From The Athletic’s Sam Amick:
“So, what would it take to convince Lillard that Portland is still the place to be for the rest of his NBA days? Here’s one solution that is known to be a dream scenario from Lillard’s vantage point: Re-sign forward Jerami Grant and add four-time All-Star/four-time champion Draymond Green in free agency.”
Of course, even though Green turned down his player option to play another year for the Warriors, the general view is that he will work out a new deal with Golden State. Until that happens, however, and as long as Lillard is actually still a Blazer, the possibility of a Lillard-Green combo in Portland is alive. Lillard has two more guaranteed years left on his current contract after exercising his player option for the 2024-25 NBA season worth a staggering $48.79 million.
Lillard and his agent also recently had a meeting with Blazers general manager Joe Cronin, and for what it’s worth, it appears that the two sides have strengthened their partnership. Then again, who really knows what’s exactly on the mind of Portland’s star guard?