“Helping Us Build This Roster”: Blazers GM Opens Up on Damian Lillard’s Involvement in the Franchise

Posted on by Jack Marks

Damian Lillard was selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was regarded as one of the best point guards in the draft. Portland enters Sunday’s game with a 27-54 record. It would be the Blazers’ poorest record since Lillard was drafted in 2012, and it will put a stop to their eight-year postseason streak.

Injuries and a roster overhaul plagued Portland’s season. Lillard hasn’t played since suffering an abdominal ailment that necessitated surgery at the end of December.

Damian Lillard

At the end of March, Anfernee Simons (knee), Jusuf Nurkic (foot), and Eric Bledsoe (Achilles) were all declared out for the rest of the season. At this year’s trade deadline, the Blazers traded away important players CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington. Now, the Blazers management wants to involve Lillard in the team’s roster decisions.

Blazers GM reveals involving Damian Lillard in roster decisions

“We’ve pivoted to Damian helping us build this roster, learning the salary cap. He knows more about trade exceptions than anyone in this room.”

The Blazers should be back in the postseason conversation next year with a completely healthy Lillard and the player they choose with their 2022 lottery choice. The Portland Trail Blazers have completed a difficult season. The squad placed 13th in the Western Conference and did not qualify for the play-in event.

Portland moved one of its players, CJ McCollum, to the New Orleans Pelicans, just before the trade deadline, freeing up payroll space. Despite a poor season, superstar Damian Lillard expressed optimism to the Portland audience before the season’s last game.

Everything hinges on whether the Blazers can enhance their present roster in order to assemble a championship-caliber squad around superstar Damian Lillard. And if the Blazers want to accomplish so, they’ll have to rely on Lillard as a foundation moving forward.