Damian Lillard would rather go to another Western team if he leaves the Blazers?

Chad Ford: I don’t actually think that – at least nothing that I’ve heard of – has Damian Lillard insisting that it has to be Philadelphia, that he goes to. In fact, everything that I’ve heard is that he would prefer a move to the West coast or to stay on the West coast.
Source: Spotify

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Forrest using clock like Dame at the end of the Blazers/Thunder series – 12:15 AM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
If Josh Giddey sweeps Rookie of the Month, he’ll join a special group of players who did the same over a full season:
Doncic (18-19)
Towns (15-16)
Lillard (12-13)
Griffin (10-11)
Paul (05-06)
James (03-04)
Anthony (03-04)
Duncan (97-98)
Robinson (89-90)
Sampson (83-84) – 2:14 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Players in NBA history with 30+ points and 5+ threes in 5 straight games:
Stephen Curry
James Harden
Damian Lillard
Gary Trent Jr. pic.twitter.com/JEOgHNVcyr – 9:40 PM

Casey Holdahl @CHold
Jusuf Nurkic (right ankle; sprain) and Anfernee Simons (right hip; contusion) are probable; CJ Elleby (left hamstring; strain) and Trendon Watford (right ankle; sprain) are questionable; Little/Lillard/Nance Jr/Zeller are out for Tuesday’s game vs. Lakers. – 7:21 PM

Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2020, the @Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard finished an epic six-game run:
✅ 61 PTS
✅ 47 PTS
✅ 50 PTS
✅ 36 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST
✅ 48 PTS
✅ 51 PTS
He’s the only player in NBA history to record five 45-point games and a 30-point triple-double in a six-game span. pic.twitter.com/ykkQQPh3TE – 1:01 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Gary Trent Jr last 4 games:
31 points, 9 threes
33 points, 5 threes, 5 steals
32 points, 6 threes
32 points, 5 threes
Only Steph, Dame and Harden had longer streaks of 30+ points and 5+ threes in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/DNoAro36MK – 9:53 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
The Notre Dame Fighting Russell Westbrooks are really bringing it tonight. pic.twitter.com/nFTvAWw4LJ – 8:00 PM

Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
TODAY’S GAMES TO WATCH:
Duke at Notre Dame, 7 (ESPN)
Iowa at Penn State, 7 (BTN)
Colorado State at Wyoming, 8 (FS1)
West Virginia at Baylor, 9 (ESPN)
TCU at Oklahoma, 9 (ESPN2) – 7:40 AM

More on this storyline

I can’t find a team out there these days that believes Morey is bluffing about keeping Simmons past the deadline to A) first make what sounds to outsiders as a rather hopeless attempt to convince Simmons to rejoin the team for a playoff drive and B) more importantly retain Simmons to offer him as the centerpiece of offseason trade pitches for the likes of Portland’s Damian Lillard, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Boston’s Jaylen Brown and, of course, Brooklyn’s James Harden -via marcstein.substack.com / January 28, 2022

Dame is also extension eligible this offseason. So how does this injury impact his future plans here? Brian Windhorst: This is something that obviously we’re talking about $100 million decision in the offseason to add two years to his contract. That is obviously going to be something discussed very deeply in the coming weeks. However, in talking to folks around Dame, this is not something that Dame is worried about. Dame is trying to get healthy. Dan wants to remain in Portland, and the contract extension will come as a normal course of business as most players who have two years left on their contract. -via YouTube / January 14, 2022

Adrian Wojnarowski on the Blazers: They’ve been very active in the trade market. They want to continue to build around Damian Lillard. They’ve had discussions on players like Robert Covington or Jusuf Nurkic. -via YouTube / January 13, 2022