Portland Trail Blazers great Damian Lillard has a message for fans unhappy with the team’s performance this season and the forever rumors he might leave: If they want him gone then start the trade petition now.
After six seasons of having a .500 or better record, the Portland Trail Blazers had their third losing year in the last four seasons in 2022-2023. Despite having some pretty good talent in the likes of future Hall-of-Famer Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, rookie Shaedon Sharpe, and Jermai Grant, the team couldn’t even reach the play-in tournament after finishing 33-49.
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It has again opened the door to another offseason of fans and media wondering if this will be the end of Damian Lillard’s legendary tenure with the franchise. It has been a narrative that has hovered over the organization the last few summers and it’s led to a divide among the fan base on what the team should do in the offseason after landing the third pick in the draft during the 2023 NBA Lottery.
Damian Lillard stats (’22-’23): 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 37% 3PT
The rumors have already started that the team could trade the pick to get better players around Lillard for next season. While others believe they should trade the seven-time All-Star and start from scratch. It was a debate that raged on Twitter Thursday and the star guard actually responded to it.
In a tweet from a Portland Trail Blazers fan bashing those who felt the team should hold on to the third overall pick and instead move Damian Lillard, he responded to the post by saying, “If the fans wanna trade me … start the petition and send it in.”
When a fan fired back claiming Lillard is looking for them to help him find his way out of town instead of asking for a trade himself, he followed up by saying, “I been on the same time over a decade lol … I’m just saying if the ppl got different wishes.”
What is interesting about the situation between Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers is while stars like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kevin Durant have forced their way off teams in recent years, Lillard has always made it clear he prefers to stay with the franchise that took him with the sixth pick overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.