The Portland Trail Blazers made a huge trade this summer, bringing in Ja Morant to be a big part of their future. Morant has all the talent in the world, but in the last few years, that hasn’t shown up on the court. Now, Portland will be looking to integrate him into the team and the culture, and there’s nobody better to do that than Damian Lillard.
Nobody in the league knows what it’s like to be a Blazer more than Lillard. Before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, he was the ultimate Blazer, and now, he’s back in Portland for a second stint. So, as the Blazers look to help Morant get used to things, they should deploy Lillard as his primary mentor in the locker room.
There’s nobody better for the job of integrating Morant than Lillard.
Damian Lillard is perfect Portland embassador for Ja Morant
There is a real case to be made that Lillard is the greatest Blazer of all-time. He, Bill Walton, and Clyde Drexler would have to argue over that truth, but the sheer fact that there’s an argument is a testament to Lillard.
Though he never won a championship as the top guy in Portland, he made the Western Conference finals, and his playoff performances are absolutely legendary. Not just in Blazers history, but legendary in the scope of the NBA, too.
But perhaps more important than that (in this scenario) is everything Lillard meant to the franchise. He poured his heart into Portland for years, and even after a relatively ugly breakup, the two sides came back together.
Morant has a chance to be a new face of the franchise. Alongside Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, and others, he could lead the next era of successful Portland basketball.
So, who better to learn from than the guy who led the last one? Again, though he didn’t win a title, Lillard led the Blazers on a string of solid years. Plenty of playoff appearances, and even a deep run.
Nobody knows more about how to thrive in Portland. How to set the culture. What the city is like. How the fanbase is. How to endear yourself to the fanbase. Those are all things Lillard can teach Morant.
Plus, as a veteran, Lillard is as great a leader as there is. If Morant wants to settle in and stay focused on the basketball, Lillard can definitely help him do that.
If the Blazers wanted a mentor and Portland leader to guide Morant through the transition into the city, they would be hard-pressed to find a better guy than Lillard.
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