If there is a non-Miami market right now for Dame, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Blazers ended up moving him wherever they got the best offer from. Portland is already coming off looking bad. They basically flat-out lied to Lillard in making it seem like they were trying to build a contender around him when they weren’t and then have turned this entire narrative upside down to look like the victims.
At this point, there’s really not much else the Blazers can do to come away looking worse than they are right now. So maybe they should just say, “screw it, let’s just send Dame to the team that is offering us the best package for ourselves.” At the end of the day, that’s the only thing that matters to them.
Dame did everything he could for Portland, being loyal year after year. And finally, when it’s clear that they’re basically pushing him out, they’re acting like the victim.
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In an age of tempestuous stars, Lillard gave the Blazers 11 years of stable leadership and superb play. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in points, 3-pointers, and free throws, second in minutes and assists. But the Blazers never repaid his devotion, constructing mediocre teams around him. In his career, Lillard has never won a single game in the conference finals. …But getting the best return for Dame’s talent seems to be the only thing Joe Cronin and Co. are concerned with.
