Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard didn't hold back his thoughts on talks that the Rip City squad could take a tanking approach amid his absence due to injury.
Lillard recently underwent surgery to address his abdominal issue, and he is expected to be evaluated after six to eight weeks. That means the Blazers star will miss a huge chunk of the campaign, putting the team in a dire situation of whether to tank the season or continue fighting for the playoffs since they still have a chance.
The 31-year-old Lillard admitted that he and the Portland front office still haven't discussed plans for the seasons as he focuses on his recovery from surgery. However, he admitted that if the Blazers tell him they are going to pursue a higher draft pick instead and give up from competing for the playoffs, then it only makes sense for him to sit out.
“I mean, if we are going to play for a draft pick, it wouldn’t make sense for me … because I’m not going to play for no draft pick. I’m just not capable of that. So it would be best, if that was what we were doing or what was decided, then it wouldn’t make sense for me to play,” Lillard explained, per Jason Quick of The Athletic.
Damian Lillard is not wrong, though. He continues to reiterate his desire to win a championship, and so it is not just in his character to play to lose. It remains to be seen what Portland will do since they are still in play-in contention and just four games behind the automatic playoff qualification spots.
A lot can change in two months, though. If the Blazers fall further in the standings and have no chance to make the postseason when Dame Time is available to play, then the team might just opt to let him rest and recover to prepare better for the 2022-23 campaign.
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