Damian Lillard knows that if Portland can’t contend, it’s time for a brighter future: ‘I have a decision to make’

Once again, it seems Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers have found themselves at a crossroads, as the point guard told the press last night how important it is for him that Portland start to build a contending team right away in order for him to stay. 

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was the first to report on the scene, as the broadcaster invited Lillard to an interview on Wednesday night. “It ain’t a threat. I ain’t gonna say I’m putting them on the clock,” he said. “I’m just saying if those things can’t be done—if we can’t do something significant like that—then we won’t have a chance to compete on that level.”

Take a look at an extract from last night’s conversation on ESPN:

Damian Lillard knows it is time for the Blazers to figure out how to win, or some tough conversations will have to be had on both sides#sascast pic.twitter.com/ljXZfwDGpF

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 13, 2023

He went on to say it’s decision time for him. “And then, not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will, too,” he told Stephen. “Because at that point, it’s like, ‘Are you gonna go young, or are we gonna get something done?’ I think we just kinda been on the fence with fully committing to either one.

“I just think we at that point now where everybody wants to win. They believe I deserve that opportunity.”

Now that the Trail Blazers are out for the rest of the season, the only good news that could come out of missing the playoffs is getting a better chance at winning a top overall pick in the NBA Draft lottery. Maybe if they land a future star like French sensation Victor Wembanyama, Lillard might consider to stay put.

Aside from a potential top pick in the draft, Portland has already been building its roster around young players like Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, which means there is a potential contending team already if management makes the smart moves from here on out.

Now, if they don’t land a top overall pick, then the decisions simply becomes that much easier for the 32-year-old, who wants to try and conquer a NBA championship before retiring. According to Jason Quick from The Athletic, the team would “likely trade their lottery pick unless they land the No. 1 pick (they have a 10.5 percent chance).”

The veteran point guard has made his desires clear, not it’s up to his team

Lillard ended the campaign as the third-highest scorer in the league with 32.2 points, the 10th player with the best assist average at 7.3, and 4.8 rebpunds per game. It’s no joke that the veteran is still soaring through the NBA and still has many years to compete at a top level.

Check out some of his highlights from this past 2022/23 season:

“I’m just not interested in that. That’s not a secret,” the 32-year-old said of adding another young player via the draft this week. “I want a chance to go for it. And if the route is to [draft youth], then that’s not my route.”

So now the question is, how much more time will Lillard need to make his decision? Will he wait until the offseason or stay beyond it? Even though both team and player seem aligned with what Portland needs to thrive, there’s no doubt that important decisions have to be made right away.