Trail Blazers send HUGE MESSAGE to Damian Lillard as star flirts with leaving franchise

The Blazers plan to resign Jerami Grant in an attempt to keep Dame in Portland

Trail Blazers send HUGE MESSAGE to Damian Lillard as star flirts with leaving franchise

Damian Lillard (Image via Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

New reports have surfaced that the Portland Trail Blazers are still sticking with their homegrown superstar in the coming season in hopes of a Championship.

The Portland Trail Blazers had another mediocre season with a record of 33-49 to close out the regular season after failing to make the Play-in tournament. Their superstar Damian Lillard have been testing new waters this offseason as several reports have indicated that the star might actually look to join other teams this coming season if the Blazers fail to make necessary trades.

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In response to the recent drama, the Trail Blazers made clear what they are standing on – building a championship roster around Dame. As per reports, the Blazers are planning to re-sign free agent, Jerami Grant who became one of the best pick-ups the team had last season as he closed out the season with 40.1% 3pt shooting and providing solid perimeter defense. The team have also expressed their desire to sign Deandre Ayton from the Suns, a player that the Blazers lacks last season who can provide defense and rebounds.

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It is also worth keeping in mind that the Blazers have the third pick in this year’s draft, an asset that they can pair up with Anfernee Simons to land big stars to pair up with Damian Lillard. This type of trade capital gives the Blazers the leverage to attain stars that may necessarily not be a free agent, stars like Julius Randle and Jaylen Brown can very much land with the Blazers if things go sour between the players and their respective teams.

The Blazers are left with around $63 million to play with this upcoming free agency and might look to make a big splash there but with the new CBA in effect this July it will be interesting to see what route Portland decides to take.

Related: Damian Lillard trade rumors: NBA insider reveals two MOST LIKELY trade destinations for Trail Blazers superstar

Will the Blazers keep or trade Scoot Henderson?

Scoot Henderson
Scoot Henderson; Via HoopsHype

The projected 3rd overall pick, Scoot Henderson weighs in at 6’2 at 192 lbs, plays like Prime Russell Westbrook but with the touch of a shooter and is only 19 years old. He is the type of talent that can turn a franchise around, taking recent examples like Anthony Edwards who sent Wolves to their first Playoffs since Jimmy Butler’s vacancy.

The Portland Trailblazers are left with two options this summer as they have to make the decision on whether to draft Scoot and start a rebuild around him or stay committed to Dame for another season of mediocrity. The Blazers are likely to pick the latter as they are projected to trade away Scoot for another star to pair up with Lillard.

In a draft class that features the like of Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller and Scoot, the Blazers were lucky enough to land the third pick and it would be a disastrous move for the franchise if they decided to trade away the pick as Dame will be turning 33 this year with very little window left of his prime years.

The Blazers will have one of the best assets to play with this coming summer and several key free agents are already linked to the franchise and it won’t be shocking if the team transform into a title contender over the course of the summer.

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