Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason after another first-round exit. Lillard fanned the flames himself to a certain degree, but there were also reports out there suggesting he was going to ask for a trade that he vehemently denied.
Now, Lillard is emphatically stating on Instagram that he'll be back in Portland for the 2021-22 season. This post should have Blazers fans hyped:
View this post on Instagram
There you have it, folks. Damian Lillard is ready to rock out for the Blazers in this upcoming season. While things had been trending this way for a while, this confirms that he's not going anywhere for the time being. Things could very well change depending on how the season plays out, but Dame is all in at the moment.
Portland didn't do all that much in the offseason in terms of the roster, re-signing Norman Powell and bringing in some role players while losing Carmelo Anthony. The acquisition of Larry Nance Jr., with Derrick Jones Jr. going to the Chicago Bulls, was an interesting move later in the offseason that could pay dividends.
A key for the Blazers will be improving the defense. While Lillard leads an elite offensive unit, Portland's defense was one of the worst in the NBA last season. If that doesn't change under new head coach Chauncey Billups, it's hard to see this team as a contender. But perhaps the coaching change and the tweaks to the roster will be what's needed to give this group new life and help them get to the next level.
If the Blazers are able to pull that off, the Damian Lillard trade rumors should subside. But if they falter, they'll only reach a fever pitch.
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