Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesIt could end up in a fraught relationship between Damian Lillard and the front office if he does indeed force his way out of Portland during this offseason.SNY's Ian Begley reported Wednesday that Lillard and Trail Blazers general manger Neil Olshey don't seem to be very close (0:28 mark)."One thing I have heard is that Neil Olshey and Lillard have not seen eye to eye in Portland. A few players in the league joked that they like Portland and don't mind being there. We've seen Lillard trade players and sign elsewhere in free agency, as well as players he was close to.This was in response to a report by Chris Haynes, Yahoo Sports. He said that the Trail Blazers had faced an "enormous backlash" and that his concerns about the possibility of building a championship contender have made him questionable.Blazers fans, take a deep breathe. Brian Windhorst, ESPN, said Tuesday on his Hoop Collective podcast: "I don't believe, based upon my conversations, that Dame was serious about saying that he wants to leave" (h/t Steve Dewald, Blazers Edge).Lillard's feelings towards the Blazers and the possibility that he might try to force a trade in the future have been the focus of recent news about the NBA.It's a good thing. Lillard is a superstar. Lillard, the six-time All-Star selection and 2017-18 All-NBA First-Team selection, had another great season in 2020-21 with an average of 28.8 points per game and 7.5 assists.After hitting a record 12 threes and scoring 17 of his team’s 19 points during the overtime sessions, his 55-point performance at Game 5 of Western Conference's first round, a 147–140 double overtime loss, quickly became legend. He tied the game with threes in the final 10 seconds of regulation and overtime.The fact that his team squandered such a great performance was a microcosm of Dame's time here in Portland. Despite his superstar status and clutch performances, the Blazers never had the support cast they needed to reach the NBA Finals.Maybe Lillard will try again with Portland to show Olshey that he can make him a contender. Maybe he will retire in the city he has loved all his life.However, he could leave to find a better team to win the title.
