The Portland Trail Blazers are doing everything they can to keep Damian Lillard. This is after rumors have emerged pertaining to a potential blockbuster trade that will see Dame part ways with the Blazers after more than a decade with the team. While this is a real cause for concern for Portland, you could also argue that they have somehow gotten used to all the exit drama surrounding Lillard. After all, the seven-time All-Star has been linked to trade rumors at virtually every opportunity.

For his part, Dame hasn't done too much to dispel the rumors. Lillard himself previously stated that he would prefer a move to either the Brooklyn Nets or the Miami Heat if ever he decides to ask out of Portland. The 32-year-old, however, has also made it clear that he has no issue with staying with the Blazers as they continue to assemble the pieces they need toward becoming a legitimate title contender:

“I think that’s the best way to handle any of these things is to keep just being a warrior,” Lillard said, via Robbie Kalland of Dime. “You know, keep doing what I do, keep making sure that I’m prepared, and I think the truth of the matter is that you just never know when it’s gonna happen or how. You never know who’s gonna turn the corner. You never know what’s gonna happen with the team or when it’s going to click.”

Damian Lillard then turned to the Denver Nuggets and their recent success as sort of a prototype for the level of success he hopes to attain with the Blazers:

“And I think Denver is a perfect example of that,” Dame said. “You know, obviously you look at the team and they got a talented roster. They got Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon — like, they got a lot of talent, but you know, they’ve been bounced in the first, second round. And coming into the season, nobody was looking at them saying this is our favorite to win it. It just happened. So I mean, you just, it’s hard to say because you just never know when it’s gonna just happen. So you’ve almost got to just keep pressing forward and keep doing that with true faith. And you just never know when it’s gonna click and the team is gonna take off and it’s gonna happen. So that’s kind of my approach.”

The issue with Damian Lillard and the Blazers is that it seems that he's been waiting for this “click” for quite a while now. Dame isn't getting any younger and it's not as if he has an unlimited well of patience. At this point, it isn't at all surprising that there is now some serious concern regarding his future in Portland.