Editing for copyright purposes. I left in about half of it so you can get the gist but still just being "fair use". The full article is on The Athletic. -- Ed O. PORTLAND, Ore. — The lowest of lows for Damian Lillard was in the summer of 2021, on the heels of an embarrassing playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets. In the nights that followed the first-round exit, he said he couldn’t sleep. His insomnia wasn’t because he was eliminated by a Nuggets backcourt that started Facundo Campazzo and Austin Rivers, it was because he questioned if the people around him in the Blazersorganization cared about the loss as much as he did. That summer triggered a switch in Lillard. Suddenly, it seemed, an organization that did everything for him — his approval and opinion were sought on everything from player moves and coaching hires, to practice times and plane departures — wasn’t doing enough. ... In 2020, Lillard thought the Blazers had an inside track to luring Tucker away from the Houston Rockets. Carmelo Anthony, then with the Blazers, had been in frequent contact with Tucker and was convinced Tucker would be on board with joining the Blazers. So, Lillard went to then-Blazers general manager Neil Olshey and asked him to make it happen. Instead, Olshey traded for Trevor Ariza, who was solid but was of no help in the playoffs later that 2020 season when he chose not to participate in the NBA Bubble. To Lillard, it was another wasted opportunity. ... There will be some who are disappointed with Lillard for asking out. Far more will blame the Blazers for fumbling the most prolific offensive player in franchise history because of inactivity. I don’t know that either is to blame. Lillard has earned the right to ask out if that’s what pleases him, I think the majority of Blazers fans will wish him the best and hope he wins that coveted title. But I don’t get this idea that the Blazers never tried to help build a winner around him. The Blazers have always wanted to do right by Lillard. They gave him input on every decision except the draft. Not a move was made by the Blazers that wasn’t endorsed by Lillard. He was on board with free agent decisions (Evan Turner, Ben McLemore, Gary Payton II), with trades (Jusuf Nurkić, Rodney Hood, Enes Kanter, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, Jerami Grant) and he agreed the team should welcome Melo. And for two seasons, Portland even went as far as to use a roster spot for his cousin, Keljin Blevins. Portland also had some terrible injury luck during his run. Wesley Matthews blew out his Achilles in March 2015 when Portland had the West’s third-best record. Nurkić broke his leg in March 2019, the year the Blazers went to the Western Conference finals. And Zach Collins had shoulder problems, then ankle surgeries right when he inherited the starting power forward spot. Now healthy in San Antonio, Collins looks poised for an impactful career. ... Even with new blood up and down the organizational ladder — new owner, new president, new general manager, new coach — the franchise was in consensus that they wanted Lillard and should build around him. So it’s disappointing that with all that braintrust, and all that love that they couldn’t find the right communication, the right plan, or the acceptable followthrough to make it happen. And mostly, it’s disappointing Blazers fans have to go through this divorce. This fan base loved Lillard like no other player. There can be a debate about whether Lillard tops Clyde Drexler or Bill Walton as the greatest Blazer of all time, but there is no debate about which player most gripped this region’s heart. It was Lillard. He hit two of the most memorable shots in franchise history — the 0.9 dagger to eliminate Houston in 2014 and the wave-bye-bye 3 to eliminate Oklahoma City in 2019 — and he poured himself into the community more frequently and passionately than any other Blazers star. He was intimately involved with Special Olympics, and his RESPECT project with Portland-area high schools wasn’t just for show, he was actively involved. He spoke at assemblies, promoted students on social media, all while amplifying his message for students to show up, work hard and be kind. He was everything an organization and a fan base could want in a franchise star, and then some. But things changed. ... Soon, Lillard became focused on how the Blazers’ organization was falling short, losing sight of what was one of the last, great symbiotic relationships in pro sports. That’s not saying Portland as an organization was perfect. Neither was Dame. And somewhere between the mistakes, both lost sight of what made the other great. Lillard lost sight of how much empowerment and freedom the Blazers gave him. And the Blazers apparently underestimated how seriously and urgently Lillard valued winning at a high level. I’ll miss him. We all will. But I won’t miss what this relationship with the Blazers had become. The veiled threats of asking for a trade, always under the guise of “you never heard me say it.” And I won’t miss the organization walking on eggshells wondering if he was happy enough. No one player is bigger than the franchise, and if the Blazers weren’t guilty of violating that credo, then they were toeing the line. There were many who were exhausted by it all. ... Make no mistake: this is a sad day. An era has ended. The wrist taps. The mean mugs. That string of eight consecutive playoff appearances. All the franchise records — 71 points in a game, the 19,376 career points — all of the buzzer beaters. He was a breathtakingly exceptional player, and to many behind the scenes within the organization — those who sold tickets, cleaned the gym, ran their promotions — he was just as impactful and thoughtful as a person. Lillard not only embraced Portland, he gave back to it. That’s a beautiful combination, and one that should have a large say in defining his legacy.
I'm sorry, but if PJ Tucker is your example of how the Blazers were unwilling to build a winner around you, then you have to admit we were never close.
Yep. Nothing but sad. The relationship is done. Now, we just have to protect ourselves. He's no longer Dame; he's a trade asset whose value must be maximized.
I also once worked in a place that was just right. Until it wasn't. Knew it was time to leave but that I wouldn't be as happy elsewhere. Oh God, said before feelings of fans can sometimes be expressed only in the torchiest of torch songs. Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it, cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again.
I’ve purchased one jersey in my entire life to wear (not counting the many signed jerseys I have as a collector). It’s the Dame PDX jersey. Neighbor kid loved it when he saw it a few weeks back. Gave it to him when he saw me outside mowing today, ran in and grabbed it. Don’t care if he burns it, sells it, tosses it out. It was the first, and possibly the last, jersey buy. I’ve been so burnt out on the NBA for years, possibly since the Blazers choked in 2000. I’m at the point where I don’t think I care anymore. The “fake” reffing. Players making big money demanding to be traded. The stupid shit players do. Dame was anti all of that. Until he wasn’t.
What can we do to help you gain your fandom back? as a fellow blazer memorabilia collector, this saddens me bro! Not your good will to your neighbor, but your Complacent fandom. Id give you a hug if could.. then kick you in the nuts and tell you to grow a pair!
Dude I’ve been slowly watching my nba fandom die for so many years. The nba is a parody. It’s like the WWF. Too much shit going on besides the actual game. I was out the other day, watching some teens/20-year olds play basketball. And they were grinding. Playing hard. Talking shit. The NBA has gotten soft and the players now run the league and dictate too much. The refs have too much influence. The Tim Donaghy situation was real and shit like that is still happening. oh, and come at me, brah. I’ll kick ya nuts before ya even touch me.
Interesting. A long, thoughtful and well-written piece on Lillard that never mentions his woeful defense.
Might be the best commentary I've seen written by Quick. Very fair to all involved. Even. Well-reasoned. Thorough. It's almost like he was reading stuff on this board right after the news came down.
Agree with this. The Bucks didn't win the title because they got P.J. Tucker. Guy averaged 4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in the finals that year. The only issue was that Ariza didn't even try to play.
The best thing… Lillard is exiling himself from Portland to chase a ring he’ll likely never win. And now he’s Lamarcus Aldridge. He’s more tainted than Sly.
I get ya. Im just a hard core addict i guess. I know i should quit based on other things i wanna do but i just keep wasting my life time watching and following this team. Ill likely be an old bitch in a retirement home talking bout “i wish i woulda done this with my time”..but even then id still bruce lee in the nuts and run before you knew what happened.
