Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard’s time in Portland should be over

It’s time for Damian Lillard to move on from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard has done everything he could for the Portland Trail Blazers organization. If you ask me, he is arguably the best Blazer to ever put on a uniform. Heading into his 10th season in the NBA, Lillard has to place himself in a winning situation. If that means he has to go elsewhere, then the decision has to be made.

Lillard has remained optimistic about the Blazers’ future for years. Even after multiple first-round exits in the NBA playoffs, he still shows his desire to play in Portland. For that reason, playing in a small market has been part of the reason why Lillard has been overlooked as a top point guard in the NBA.

The failure to grab momentum as a true playoff contender has placed Lillard in a position where he isn’t accomplishing the goals he outlined in his career.

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False reports swirled around Friday afternoon that Lillard requested a trade from Portland. While he quickly denied the rumors, he didn’t sound confident in his future with the Blazers. Portland has recently made changes by adding retired NBA champion Chauncey Billups as the head coach after parting ways with Terry Stotts.

The Blazers’ front office is showing signs of adjustments on the bench. But is it enough to keep Lillard happy?

Can the Portland Trail Blazers keep Damian Lillard happy?

As a player that recently turned 31 years of age, Lillard doesn’t have much time left to win a championship at a high level. If in the next few days he does decide to request a trade, teams should gear up and look to bring him into the organization immediately.

As we have seen in past years, when all-stars are not happy in their situation, they request a trade without hesitation. It looks like Lillard has himself in the same boat and could take his talents elsewhere.

For example, the Los Angeles Lakers could potentially make an offer to grab Lillard in a trade? Will he receive criticism for joining two all-stars? Of course, he would. But it won’t matter to Lillard once he has a true opportunity of winning a championship. The Lakers showed last season in the playoffs that they were in need of a third option to help lead the way.

Both Dennis Schroder and Kyle Kuzma failed at reaching that height behind James and Davis. Lillard certainly has the capabilities of being a complementary piece for the Lakers due to his skillset.

Another trade option could be Lillard sent to the New York Knicks. A hypothetical trade could include the Knicks sending RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson, and three draft picks to Portland in exchange for Lillard.

Considering how well the Knicks’ young core played this past season, losing a few young pieces could come to bite them. Except, the good thing about the trade is they’re getting Lillard.

Lillard’s skillset and reputation will rock the city of New York. Considering the direction the Knicks are going, his presence could elevate the team as a top contender in the Eastern Conference. Adding Lillard could possibly attract other key free agents to come to New York as well.

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It’s OK for Lillard to “run from the grind.” If he does request a trade within the next few days, no one should blame him. Lillard put his heart and soul into the Blazers and placed the team on his back when needed to. Now, it is time to move on and start a new journey elsewhere.

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