Blazers news: Damian Lillard confrontation with reporter takes bizarre turn

Damian Lillard has been like a football goalkeeper on Twitter this offseason. Any time there's a report claiming his desire to leave the Blazers.

Damian Lillard has been like a football goalkeeper on Twitter this offseason. Any time there's a report claiming his desire to leave the Portland Trail Blazers, Dame is there to slap it away like Gianluigi Donnarumma at the Euros.

It even got to the point that the Blazers star was having to clear the air all the way from Tokyo, as he's helping carry the Team USA banner at the 2020 Olympics. One report in particular, from TrueHoop's Henry Abbott, had him laughing as he spoke candidly to reporters.

"I have never said that. I laughed when I saw it cuz I've literally never said that. I've been seeing a lot of things being said. I've been as open about the situation as I could possibly be."

Damian Lillard on rumors that he'd give up 💰💰 to be traded.pic.twitter.com/Quv7SdZTrY

— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) July 29, 2021

The two ended up exchanging responses on the mean streets of Twitter, where the Blazers star even asked politely for Abbott to “be careful” when publishing such news. Although Abbott reiterates that he never made any fictitious reports, the two ended up taking their discussion private, first on Twitter DMs then eventually a phone call from halfway around the world. The call was definitely a lot less hostile than you'd expect, and even ended with an impromptu birthday greeting from Dame himself.

Via Marlow Ferguson Jr. of Blazers Edge:

“Most of what happened on the phone call I’m just not going to share. It’s private,” Abbott said about his conversation with the Blazers star. “It was Dame and I getting to know each other? Actually at one point, I will tell you this funny part. I’m like, you know, ‘This thing happened, this thing happened, Twitter’s like a warzone for me now, and it’s my birthday. And Aaron starts talking, everyone starts talking, and Dame’s just like, ‘Henry, Henry, Henry, happy birthday, man.’ I’m like ‘Thank you, Dame.’”

There are a handful of lessons to be learned here, folks. But one way to look at this is, if you want a birthday greeting from Damian Lillard, just try to rile him up on Twitter.

Kidding aside, it's refreshing to hear that an open discussion on the matter seemed to clear things up. Hopefully, this means less Twitter clapbacks and more insightful Blazers reporting.