Though Damian Lillard has yet to ask for a trade, teams around the are monitoring the situation.
Lillard reportedly wants to remain in Portland, and the Trail Blazers are “not entertaining” offers for their All-Star point guard.
However, things changed drastically after Portland went out and selected Scoot Henderson, a 19-year-old point guard, with the No. 3 overall pick of tonight’s NBA Draft.
Many on Twitter thought that move pointed to the franchise eventually trading Lillard this summer.
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Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT reported after the completion of Thursday’s 2023 NBA draft that Lillard “has not had any recent communication with the [Blazers] involving the draft, free agency, or his future.”
However, Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters during his post-draft press conference that he had a “long talk” with Lillard this week about trade possibilities and he’s been in contact with his agent Aaron Goodwin leading up to Thursday’s draft.
Despite failing to land an experienced star for the team, Cronin thinks they can build around Lillard and keep him in Portland for the rest of his career.
“I have already said my goal is for Damian Lillard to retire a Trail Blazer. I have zero desire to trade him,” Cronin said. “I hope it works out here.”
The 6-foot-2 Scoot Henderson was by far the best option for the team to take in the draft after French unicorn Victor Wembanyama and Alabama forward Brandon Miller went off the board 1-2.
The only question that remains is if Lillard wants to stick it out and hope that he pans out as a star.
