Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers guards Chris Paul of the LA Clippers during a 121-120 Clipper win at Staples Center on Dec. 12, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Harry How)
There is no doubt that Damian Lillard is one of the most talented players in the NBA. He has been posting career-high scoring numbers this season while carrying an arguably average Trail Blazers team to the outskirts of the playoffs. However, his time in Portland may be cut short after his team lost 16 out of their last 23 games and his snub from the All-Star starting lineup for the past two seasons.
"I've never heard my name mentioned in a trade rumor. But even if it was, it's out of my control," Lillard told Hoops Hype about the possibility of a trade. He added that he does whatever the Trail Blazers need him to do on the court, so they know how valuable he is to the team.
Lillard stated in the interview that he currently enjoys residing and playing basketball in Portland. Because of this, he is not yet considering a move to a bigger team. However, he refused to rule out the possibility of a move in the future as well, and said that the NBA is a business and his feelings about his situation may change on any given day.
Lillard also stated that playing basketball has become easier for him with every year he spends in the NBA. It also helps that his teammate CJ McCollum has been coming to his own as of late. Both men scored 24 points in the Trail Blazers' latest triumph against the Los Angeles Lakers, which gives them two wins off the bounce since going on a four-game losing streak between Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, according to the Bleacher Report.
Hopefully, the Trail Blazers will be able to stay on form for a longer period of time. While Lillard and McCollum showed off their scoring skills, Mason Plumlee managed a double double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe also helped Portland considerably with their double-digit scoring of 11 and 12 points respectively.
The Trailblazers' next game will be against the Memphis Grizzlies, who will be coming off an impressive win against the high-scoring Toronto Raptors. Afterwards, they will face MVP-caliber players in Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry when they take on the Golden State Warriors.
Watch some of Lillard's NBA highlights in the video below:
