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Damian Lillard: Next Season Will Be Proving Ground

By Greg Chin

Oct 18, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) during the third quarter of the NBA preseason game against the Utah Jazz at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Blazers won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) during the third quarter of the NBA preseason game against the Utah Jazz at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Blazers won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Damian Lillard’s journey in the NBA so far has been an eventful one. Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, many were surprised that he was taken with the sixth overall pick. Coming out of Weber State University, there were many question marks surrounding Lillard’s ability, lack of size, and his chances for success in the league.

However, he justified the Blazers’ decision by winning the Rookie of the Year award. He followed that up with a postseason appearance with Rip City, and scored arguably the most memorable basket of the playoffs – a series-clinching buzzer-beater against the Houston Rockets in the first round.

The next year, the Blazers were considered to be a dark horse in the Western Conference, led by the Big Three of Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews. But their hopes were derailed as Matthews tore his Achilles tendon, and Aldridge played hurt for the second half of the season.

Despite his extensive list of achievements, Lillard is a player that divides opinions. There are some that feel as though his defensive liabilities take away from his capabilities on offense, which ultimately make him a net player. Other criticisms also acknowledge the fact that he has had the privilege of playing on a talented roster – an opportunity that not many others in his draft class have had.

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But with the Blazers undergoing a rebuilding project and deciding to build around Lillard as the centerpiece of the franchise, Lillard will have every opportunity next season to disprove the doubters. With next season’s Blazers already deemed as one of the worst teams in the league, we will finally be able to see what Lillard can do on his own.

My personal belief is that Lillard is a top 10 point guard in the NBA. His greatest strength is his long-range shooting, which according to ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh, puts him among some of the best in the league.

Describing the “four-point shot” as originating from 28 feet and further from the basket, Lillard led the league in such baskets made last season, even bettering the player many deem to be the best shooter in the league – Stephen Curry.

His long-range shooting makes him such a potent threat that opposing defenders are forced to fight over every screen in the pick-and-roll set. This enables Lillard’s other strength – his ability to drive to the hoop. Last season, 28.5 percent of his shots came within three feet of the basket, where he made 64.2 percent of those shots – quite an achievement considering Lillard is 6’3” and is shooting at an above league average at the rim.

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    • While the Blazers’ roster isn’t quite the star-studded lineup they had last season, there is hope that they might still be able to be a top-10 offensive unit in the league next year. By switching the focus of the offense from a midrange-based offense to one that incorporates more pick-and-roll action involving Lillard, the Blazers’ new offense should theoretically be more efficient.

    And with Ed Davis, Mason Plumlee, and Meyers Leonard – who are all big men capable of rolling to the basket and finishing at the hoop (all three averaged more than 64 percent at the rim, with Leonard leading the trio with 73 percent), the Lillard pick-and-roll will be devastating to defend against.

    But, of course, no Lillard article is complete without pointing his defensive flaws. His defense post-All Star break last season was 2014-James Harden levels bad. There is a possibility that he will never be an above-average defender, especially with his shorter stature, but even if he shows some level of effort, it will be considered a drastic improvement over what we saw last season. There is plenty of room for improvement on that end, but it is unsure whether we will see any, as Lillard will be taking on a larger role on the offensive end.

    There are reports that Damian Lillard has signed a “designated player max extension” with the Blazers – if Lillard is able to continue playing at such a high level despite the lower quality of the Blazers’ roster, the argument of whether he deserves such a high max will be moot.

    Next: NBA: The Big Question Facing Every Team In 2015-16

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