Damian Lillard: “I’m not asking for a trade”

Ros Gold-Onwude: At Trailblazers shootaround today Damian Lillard strongly addressed the rumors and noise: “I’m not asking for a trade.” “My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out.” He added he’s in the office w/ Chauncey everyday trying to find solutions, not planning an exit.
Source: Twitter @ROSGO21

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Correct me if I’m wrong, but nobody reported that Dame wants a trade yesterday, right? There was definitely speculation, but the reporting was on him wanting an extension and Ben Simmons.
So… today’s kind of a strange day to come out so firmly and say “I don’t want a trade.” – 4:21 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Damian Lillard injury update: Blazers star could reportedly return Sunday after missing time with ab issue
https://t.co/aKxukQqOwj pic.twitter.com/dux0M602HZ – 4:09 PM

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude @ROSGO21
At Trailblazers shootaround today Damian Lillard strongly addressed the rumors and noise:
“I’m not asking for a trade.”
“My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out.”
He added he’s in the office w/ Chauncey everyday trying to find solutions, not planning an exit. – 3:44 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lillard received cortisone injection, could return this weekend nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/08/rep… – 3:05 PM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Blazers star Damian Lillard undergoes cortisone procedure to mitigate lingering pain
sportando.basketball/en/blazers-sta… – 3:00 PM

Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard underwent a cortisone injection procedure to the abdominal and could return to action as early as Sunday, league sources tell @YahooSports. sports.yahoo.com/sources-damian… – 1:53 PM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Damian Lillard camp denies Ben Simmons and contract extension rumors
sportando.basketball/en/damian-lill… – 12:01 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Three things to know: Is it time for Lillard, Portland to hit reset button? nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/08/thr… – 10:12 AM

Tom Ziller @teamziller
The suggestion that the prospect of paying Damian Lillard a bunch of money in five years is the biggest problem facing the Blazers is just so patently absurd. Portland needs to get its priorities straight: ziller.substack.com/p/keep-portlan… 🔓 – 8:51 AM

Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Trade rumors: Three teams patiently waiting for Damian Lillard to ask out?
hoopshype.com/2021/12/08/thr… – 8:47 AM

Greg Dickerson @gregdickerson13
Blazers guard McCollum out with collapsed lung espn.com/nba/story/_/id…
Hey @IAmJamesStewart Is it possible to……………..trade for lillard if Cj is out? Waka waka – 9:32 PM

Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers Injury Report:
Anfernee Simons (right ankle), Ben McLemore (left hip), Nassir Little (left ankle) & Cody Zeller (right quad contusion) are questionable.
CJ McCollum (right pneumothorax) and Damian Lillard (injury management) are out for Wednesday’s game at Golden State – 9:09 PM

Casey Holdahl @CHold
In more injury news, Anfernee Simons (right ankle), Ben McLemore (left hip), Nassir Little (left ankle) and Cody Zeller (right quad) are questionable while CJ McCollum (right pneumothorax) and Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy) are out for Wednesday’s game vs. Golden State. – 8:42 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
The tell in the Woj/Dame article is that Woj doesn’t mention why Olshey was fired. In fact, he doesn’t even say Olshey was fired.
He just says “as Olshey exits the Blazers.”
It’s pretty transparent when Woj is protecting his guys. – 7:09 PM

Mike Richman @mikegrich
Dame woke up mad at Shams/Amick yesterday. Today’s he’s coming for Woj. You’re next Stein. – 6:25 PM

Sean Highkin @highkin
Inconvenient time for Dame to be injured and thus not made available to reporters. Hopefully soon. – 5:52 PM

More on this storyline

Three teams with interest in Lillard told ESPN that they are waiting on him to make an offseason trade demand before calling Portland. -via ESPN / December 8, 2021

Philadelphia made an offer, but New York never did, league sources said. Lillard’s reps offered mixed messages on the star’s intentions to stay or go, and rival teams say that the star’s camp had real concerns about Olshey’s willingness to recommend the extension to ownership in 2022. -via ESPN / December 8, 2021

Yet there still remain internal concerns about Lillard’s future in Portland. The last month of investigations and the team’s poor record—now 11-14 following Monday’s night’s loss to the Clippers—combined with mixed feelings about Billups’ leadership strategy, all while Lillard has struggled with a serious abdominal injury, has left an unsettled feeling among Blazers personnel despite Lillard’s unwavering public commitment to the organization. A lot of work lies ahead. -via Bleacher Report / December 7, 2021