Damian Lillard is expected to demand a trade from Portland — where could he land?
It might be time for Damian Lillard to run from the grind.
After nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers and eight consecutive trips to the playoffs, the end of the Lillard era in the Pacific Northwest could be on the horizon.
According to NBA reporter Henry Abbott, Lillard is expected to demand a trade out of Portland in the near future.
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During his nine years in Portland, Lillard has helped the Blazers become a mainstay in the Western Conference playoffs, but they have made it out of the first round only three times and as far as the Western Conference finals just once.
The lack of a breakthrough in the postseason leads Shannon Sharpe to believe Lillard wants to be traded in hopes of finding a better chance to win, as he explained on "Undisputed."
"I watch how hard he trains. I watched the time and effort that he puts into his game. I said he's going to get tired of these early exits," he said. "He realizes that him by himself is not going to get it done."
'Dame can't win in Portland' — Shannon Sharpe reacts to reports of Damian Lillard requesting a trade I UNDISPUTED
Since the departure of LaMarcus Aldridge after the 2014-15 season, Lillard has been the only member of the Blazers to make an All-Star or All-NBA team.
That is juxtaposed with other Western Conference teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder, who have each had multiple players named to both the All-Star Game and All-NBA teams in that window.
The Warriors are one of the teams that could be a good trade match for the Blazers, according to Colin Cowherd. He detailed on "The Herd" why their trade package could set the Blazers up for the future.
"Golden State has got two lottery picks in a strong draft, and they'd give you [James] Wiseman," he said. "That's your future. You've got your future big, two young stars in the draft."
The Warriors own the seventh and 14th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, and Lillard is from Oakland, which could signal mutual interest.
Which other teams might take a shot at acquiring Lillard? The Dallas Mavericks might want to pair him with young star Luka Dončić. The New York Knicks have been mentioned as a possible destination in the past.
And Cowherd mentioned the Clippers — with Paul George going the other way — and the Philadelphia 76ers as possibilities, though he cautions about relying too much on Ben Simmons as a player to build around.
"[Leading] Is not in his DNA. It's not who he is," Cowherd said.
Colin Cowherd: Portland should be wary in getting back Ben Simmons in a Damian Lillard trade I THE HERD
Lillard is currently set to compete in the Tokyo Olympics as a member of the United States men's national team.
When he returns to U.S. soil, there is a chance that he could be calling a new place home.
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