Neil Olshey's unceremonious booting from the Portland Trail Blazers might've been a harbinger of change for some. After years of balking from Damian Lillard trade rumors, new management might want to start over anew. Almost immediately, the Lillard trade rumor mill started back up again.
If new interim GM Joe Cronin would have his way, though, he would not even think about rebuilding the Blazers. In a recent interview for The Athletic, Cronin reiterated that, no, the Blazers aren't going to trade Damian Lillard and enter a rebuilding phase.
Article Continues Below“The organization wants to win,” Cronin said. “There are times when you have to take a step back in order to make a step forward, and we are not convinced that this is that time yet. Our approach today is not a re-tool or a rebuild. It’s an enhance. We haven’t discussed one time about taking a step back.”
The Blazers currently stand at 11 – 15, and are a few spots behind the eight-seed in the West. Despite seemingly okay talent on the roster, it seems like the team just hasn't been working as intended. Despite that, though, Lillard has doubled down on his refusal to be traded from the team, saying:
“I’m not asking for a trade… My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out.”
It's clear that both parties think that the Blazers can continue to be competitive this season and beyond. Whether the front office or the players can prove them true is a different story. Perhaps forcing a CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons swap will be the push they need? At this point, they need a massive shakeup to get back into relevancy.