PORTLAND, Ore. — It's the Damian Lillard episode. The Damesode? Probably not. It's time to talk about the Portland Trail Blazers' star point guard and his present and future in Portland.
It starts with the basics. Contract status, likelihood of a max extension this summer and his role as a voice and decision maker in the franchise.
Then the time has come to address the elephant in the room. That elephant is just not competing on defense at a level that will allow his fellow elephants to ... OK, this metaphor got away from me. But Dame has been bad on defense. He has to be better. Period.
On top of that it would help if Lillard played with slightly more pace on offense. He's an elite playmaker and a force in the half-court, but the Blazers have looked to be at their best when they play with more tempo and there is not a lot of evidence that Lillard is comfortable in a sped-up offense. If he can buy into more of that style, he'll address one of his clearest weaknesses.
But this isn't about nitpicking. It's about recognizing that Lillard is not that far removed from being one of the best players in the NBA and acknowledging that it won't take much for him to get back there in a hurry. He's really good, so that question is about how to maximize his strengths more than it is worrying about his weaknesses. That's why the final question of the show is what a Damian Lillard-led championship team probably looks like. That's the riddle the Blazers will be trying to solve over the next three-plus seasons with Lillard on the roster and still near the peak of his powers.
WATCH: Locked on Blazers podcast
LISTEN: Locked on Blazers podcast
About Locked On Blazers
Mike Richman has covered the Portland Trail Blazers in various capacities since 2014 as a beat writer for The Oregonian, a reporter at NBC Sports Northwest and now in the form of the only daily Trail Blazers podcast, Locked On Blazers. The Pass First Point Guard will get you closer to the team with reports from inside the Moda Center and by unpacking the statistics to know and about your favorite team. You will also find regular guests and can get your questions answered with weekly mailbag shows.
If you would like to participate in the weekly mailbag show, submit your questions to @mikegrich on Twitter or email lockedonblazerspod@gmail.com.
Locked On Blazers is the best way to stay up to date on the latest happenings in the Portland basketball world. It’s available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube with new shows every weekday.
