NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard warns Blazers, KD’s Warriors regret, Mavs fined

NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard warns the Blazers

This is nothing new for Damian Lillard. He’s spent the majority of the last two offseasons, if not more, being mentioned in fictional trade rumors. For Dame, he’s most comfortable in Portland. He just wants to win.

Lillard hasn’t done much of that — winning — the last year or so with the Blazers. Portland finished 13th in the conference this past season. Something’s gotta give, as Lillard is the only true star on the Blazers roster and the construction of this current team is a bit of a conundrum.

On the #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein and Chris Haynes, the latter described where Lillard’s head is at as the Blazers missed another postseason.

“This can elevate to being a serious situation depending on how the Blazers handle this offseason with the draft coming up and free agency,” Haynes said.

Haynes made it clear that this isn’t the first time Lillard has tried to up the urgency in Portland. Lillard is 32 years old and in the later years of his prime. He understands the NBA life cycle, and wants a legitimate chance at a championship, ideally in Portland.

“He’s already talked to Joe Cronin and informed him he doesn’t want to go down a road to being a middle tier team in no man’s land and he doesn’t want to be on a rebuilding team. If they aren’t able to come through with their promises of putting together a competent roster, they pretty much know the next step,” Haynes continued.

That next step, as Haynes described it, is also a bit of a mystery. Lillard’s contract is a tough one to trade, but if he tries to fight his way out of a small-market Blazers team, he has the power to do it.

Something has to give, as Lillard is too talented of a player not to have a ring.