Do you invest $50 million a year in him? He’s not John Wall, but it could be a John Wall situation. 'I love him,' said the executive, citing the aforementioned attributes. League executives - some formerly with the franchise, potential candidates for the job and happy-where-they-are rivals - all agree that the attraction of running the franchise is dulled by that first big hurdle: What to do with Dame? Her devotion to the Blazers as a whole, much less Lillard, is uncertain. Jody Allen, Paul’s sister, inherited the franchise upon his death. The direction that interim GM Joe Cronin will take the roster remains to be seen. The commitment of Olshey's and Allen's successors to Lillard is unclear.

Allen had not only invested in Lillard as the team’s cornerstone but also supported his musical career and philanthropic interests. Gone also is the owner, Paul Allen, who died in 2018. Olshey was committed to finding complementary pieces that kept Lillard as the undisputed star of the team. Gone is the GM who drafted Lillard in 2012, Neil Olshey, who was ousted last week for allegedly presiding over a toxic work environment. The problem? Shifting allegiances within the organization make that far from a foregone conclusion. Now I want you to pledge allegiance to me. In essence, Lillard is saying to the franchise: I pledged allegiance to you. And, now, how much he allegedly wants to sustain that pledge: This summer, he becomes eligible for a two-year, $107 million extension. How much he has remaining on his existing contract: three years, $135 million. How could dealing with a six-time All-Star, model citizen and natural leader - who has declined overtures to go elsewhere and, instead, pledged allegiance to the Blazers - be anything other than a blessing?īecause it’s not the what –– it’s the hows with Lillard.Īs in, how old he is: 31. 'If there are negatives to the job, one of them,' an executive explained, 'is what to do with Dame.' He also poses one of the biggest challenges, according to several NBA executives. Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers ’ incumbent star, is naturally one of the attractions for anyone interested in being the team's next president.

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