The Portland Trail Blazers began the offseason dealing with incessant rumors concerning Damian Lillard‘s future in Rip City. Since then, Lillard and his teammates have quashed the idea of the All-Star point guard leaving the team multiple times.
However, if Lillard contemplates a change of scenery, head coach Chauncey Billups would be the last person begging for him to stay.
“I came here to coach you, but it's your career, it's your life and it's your family.” Billups said on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “I've been there before, and I'm not going to be the guy preaching ‘Stay here, go there, do this.'”
“I got a job to do, I want to do it with you, obviously. But if at some point you deem ‘Hey, another place is another place for me,' that's not going to be an indictment on myself. That's going to be you making a decision for you and your family.”
Time and again, Damian Lillard has never held back when professing his love for Portland. Stars have come and go, but the Blazers and Lillard have been tight ever since the latter was drafted in 2012.
No matter how many times Lillard refutes exit rumors, these things still find ways to creep back into the picture. That's not to say the 6-foot-2 point guard's footing in Portland is etched in stone, though. The Blazers still need to surround their star with a supporting cast strong enough to contend for a title, especially while Lillard is still in his prime.
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