There is an old adage that says, “the grass is not always greener on the other side." For Blazer star Damian Lillard, that saying still rings true to this day. In an age where players are eager to win championships and team up with other superstars, Lillard has been loyal to Portland, and he insists on winning with the team that drafted him. However, even loyalty has a shelf life. Lillard has made it extremely clear that he isn’t willing to waste his remaining prime years on rebuilding. “I’m not interested in it”, he states. “That’s not what I’m interested in.” It has been a test of patience and commitment for Lillard, who wants to win a ring just as badly as the next alpha superstar. But that’s the thing: some NBA fans believe Lillard is fine with staying in the Northwest corner of the US where he can collect massive checks and put-up gaudy stats. Lillard ignores the criticism; he’s used to it. He knows people are always going to discredit him unless he wins a title, which is why he's so eager to get one in Portland. On the Point Forward podcast, Lillard discussed this exact topic with former Blazer Evan Turner. “They better pray that I don’t win a championship with the Blazers”, he asserts.
Even Lillard will admit that it seems like the Blazers are a world away from competing for a championship. However, that all changed a few weeks ago. In a stroke of good luck, the Blazers landed the number three pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Landing this pick opened up numerous options: keep the pick and draft a potential franchise cornerstone OR trade the pick and get a franchise cornerstone via trade to pair with Lillard. Either way, the Blazers will be getting a massive influx of talent this summer. However, even in a win-win situation, you still have to make the right decision. In fact, the Blazers have been here before – exactly 16 years ago.
Following the 2005-2006 NBA season, the Trail Blazers had the worst record in the league at 21-61. However, in the prior NBA lottery rules, the Blazers were guaranteed the 1st overall pick. Portland had its chance to secure a franchise-altering player, and they were between Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. It was a win-win situation for Portland, who could add a massive talent to pair with guard Brandon Roy and rookie forward Lamarcus Aldridge. It was a huge moment for the franchise. But, we all know how the story ends: Portland took Oden, he couldn’t stay healthy, he was out of the league in a few years, and Kevin Durant would go on to be arguably a top 10 player of all time. The 2007 draft was an opportunity to point the Blazers toward a championship, but they got the pick wrong. This was not the only time that Blazers struck out with a high draft selection though. Let’s go back to 1984.
The Blazers had just come off of a 48-34 season, and the future looked bright. Not only did the Blazers have Clyde Drexler, but they also had the number two pick in the upcoming draft. Again, the Blazers were in a win-win situation, and they were between Sam Bowie from Kentucky and Michael Jordan, who was a freshman from UNC. Once again, we all know how the story played out: the Blazers drafted Bowie, he never was truly healthy, he was out of the league quickly, and Michael Jordan would go on to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Both of these draft failures highlight something very important: getting a high draft pick doesn’t automatically mean getting a franchise cornerstone. The Blazers know this better than anyone because they have had arguably two of the biggest draft strikeouts in league history. However, this year provides a new opportunity to get it right. But Portland can’t afford to get it wrong again; there is too much on the line. What is on the line exactly? Lillard’s future, the GM’s future, and the Blazers’ future in Portland to be exact. This is why this summer is the most important two months in franchise history. Let me explain.
Damian Lillard is going to go down as the greatest player to ever put on the Blazer uniform. Yes, I said it. Yes, Walton won a title. Yes, Clyde was one of most talented players in the league in his time. But Lillard embodies the Blazers and the city. He is the all-time leading scorer in franchise history, and he has made Portland relevant in general NBA culture. He has done it on the court, in the community, and he has been extremely loyal to the franchise. But even Dame’s loyalty isn’t eternal. If Portland doesn’t create a contending team around Dame immediately, Dame could do the unthinkable and walk away from the Blazers. And he would have every right to do so. He has laced them up in this city for over a decade patiently waiting for upper management to put the right pieces around him; however, nothing has materialized. As painful as it would be to watch Lillard leave Portland, it would be hard to blame him. He wants to win, which is why Portland must swing for the fences this summer. The cupboard is finally loaded with assets, and maybe Portland finally has the sense of urgency to pull the trigger on something big. Dame deserves it. The city deserves it.
Speaking of the city, the Blazers’ future isn’t necessarily tied to the city of Portland. The Moda Center lease is up in 2025, and a new lease has not been negotiated yet. The team is owned by Jody Allen, who seems to be ambivalent about the team and not as passionate as her late brother, Paul Allen. Because of this, fans have speculated that the Blazers could be a team that relocates to Seattle due to the league wanting a team there and local fans craving for the Supersonics to return. What if the Blazers strike out again this summer and Dame leaves in free agency or via trade? Well, the team would immediately enter into a long rebuild that coincides with the Moda Center lease being up. With an owner who seems like she doesn’t care, a bad product on the floor, and pressure from the league, Portland could pack it up and head north. Obviously, this is a doomsday scenario for the Blazers, and I don’t see this happening. Nevertheless, the scenario isn’t extremely unrealistic and could be set in motion if this summer is a dud.
This is why Portland must succeed this summer. There is too much at stake. Portland has swung and missed twice in 1984 and 2007, but they get another swing this year. This is the most important swing yet though. Dame’s future and possibly the team’s future hangs in the balance. In baseball, you get three strikes and you’re out. For Portland, this summer is a third chance, and possibly the last chance, to revitalize a franchise and give Lillard a precious shot at an NBA title. Portland can’t afford to swing and miss, or they just might be out. Rather, they need this offseason to be a home run.
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