The Portland Trail Blazers breathe a sigh of relief after All-Star point guard Damian Lillard shut down rumors of him leaving the team.
Lillard who averaged stellar numbers of 27.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds in March said that he is not unhappy with the Trail Blazers. Five months ago, Lillard told reporters that he wants to be the greatest Trail Blazer ever. Recently, ESPN radio host Stephen A. Smith said that Lillard is not closing in on the doors of leaving Portland.
"I'm not unhappy. I love where I live. I love the organization. I love our coaching staff. I love where I am." Lillard said.
Lillard also steered the Trail Blazers into its fifth straight appearance in the playoffs after finishing the year with a remarkable 49-33 win-loss slate. He also set a team record by converting 64 straight free throws while being named as the Western Conference player of the week twice. Lillard finished the season on a high note after being named to the All-NBA first team for the first time in his illustrious career.
The Trail Blazers were also able to bag the Northwest Division title for the seventh time in the storied history of their franchise. In addition, the Trail Blazers rode a 13-game winning streak that was highlighted with a win over the Golden State Warriors prior to the All-Star break. The team also grabbed the third seed in the tough Western Conference.
Lillard Unhappy To See Davis Go
The Trail Blazers court general also voiced out his disappointment after losing his best friend and former teammate Ed Davis into free agency. Davis agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.4 million with the Brooklyn Nets.
The team also parted ways with Pat Connaughton and Shabazz Napier. However, the Trail Blazers were able to make up for their losses after signing Nik Stauskas and Seth Curry in the free agency. Nonetheless, Lillard is still positive that the Trail Blazers can still compete with the best teams in the West which includes the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Currently, Lillard is still under contract with the Trail Blazers for the next three seasons. Experts believe that the management should never let a superstar walk away for nothing.
The Trail Blazers are still licking their wounds after letting LaMarcus Aldridge leave in 2015. Besides parting ways with Aldridge, the team also made a bone-headed decision of trading Will Barton and a first-round pick.
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