Portland Trail Blazers Want to “Build a Winner” Around Superstar Damian Lillard

• The Portland Trail Blazers have said they are committed to building a winner around Damian Lillard
• Lillard's name has cropped up in many trade rumours after the 2023 NBA draft
• Lillard has played his entire career with the Blazers, but the farthest he's reached is the conference finals

Damian Lillard is once again in trade debates among NBA fans. The Portland Trail Blazers have reiterated they are committed to building a winner around the 32-year-old.

Lillard has played his entire 11-year NBA career with the Blazers, but his name has cropped up many times in trade rumours in the last few years.

This comes after Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, met with the team's brass to discuss the guard's future with the team amid rumours of a potential exit.

In last week's draft, the Blazers selected G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, a pick many expected them to trade for an experienced player. The decision signalled Lillard could be on the way out. The veteran guard is in his prime and would attract plenty of teams looking to win a title, per CBS Sports.

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The seven-time All-Star has insisted many times he wants to win with the Blazers, but his team will need significant retooling to make them a threat to the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference.

Blazers plans with Lillard

In a statement, Blazers general manager Joe Cronin said they are "committed to building a winner" around the seven-time All-NBA star.

“I met with Dame and (agent) Aaron Goodwin this afternoon. We had a great dialogue. We remain committed to building a winner around Dame,” via Oregon Live.

After trading his partner in crime, C.J. McCollum, in 2022, they failed to construct a better roster to make a run in the postseason. The veteran guard plays the same position as Henderson, meaning the fit will be awkward. They also have young guard Anfernee Simons and last year's lottery pick, Shaedon Sharpe, that will need minutes to develop.

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The farthest Lillard has taken the Blazers is the Western Conference finals in 2019. Interestingly, they have not won a series since 2016, with much of that coinciding with the Golden State Warriors' dominance in the West.

Lillard's potential destination

Sports Brief earlier reported on Lillard naming Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets as his possible destination in a hypothetical trade scenario.

The Heat recently reached the NBA Finals but fell short, losing in six games to the Denver Nuggets.

The Nets were swept in the first round after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.