Portland Trail Blazers coach, Chauncey Billups, spoke about the saga that has dominated the NBA headlines this summer, concerning the future of Damian Lillard.
Billups is dealing with the fact that his star player wants to leave the team and join the Miami Heat. However, there are no indications that such a move is imminent.
“The situation is challenging. All I can do is focus on my job. I don’t know what will happen, and I can’t control it. What I do know is the players I have, and I’ve dedicated my entire summer to them. That’s what drives me” – Billups said.
Nevertheless, whether Lillard stays will have a significant impact on the results in the new season.
“He’s incredible. The fans and the franchise members recognize that. He hasn’t mistreated anyone. He’s honest and tries to take care of himself. I’m not sure how this saga will affect us, but I know Dame is one of the calmest people I know. There’s no drama with him, and I believe all of this is hard on him. He’s at a crossroads and doing what he thinks is best for him; I’ll always support that mindset” – Billups concluded.
Lillard has been with Portland since 2012 when the Trail Blazers selected him with the sixth overall pick in the draft.