Portland Trailblazers: Time is running out on the current core

The Portland Trailblazers are 3-4 right now, but things seem much worse than that. In a surprising twist of fate, Damian Lillard is actually the problem right now.

For years, the common narrative has been that Lillard does not have enough help in Portland. This entire offseason most people believed he would be requesting a trade sooner rather than later.

Instead, this season’s storyline has been the fact that Lillard himself has been slumping. Most other players on the Trailblazers actually look pretty good this year.

CJ McCollum is actually leading the team in scoring right now while Lillard sits below him. It’s been a rough start to the season for Lillard, but he has actually addressed the issue to the media.

The Portland Trailblazers need to progress past this current roster

Regardless, this sort of mediocrity has been going on in Portland for years. Outside of their one run to the Western Conference Finals, they have been an average playoff team and nothing more.

Lillard is an amazing talent, and it’s noble that the Trailblazers have been so committed to building around him. The same can be said about Lillard, as he has stayed true to the team and city for years.

The duo of Lillard and McCollum has been questioned for years, but that’s because the question is valid. Can these two great NBA players win a championship as the two best players on the team?

So far, the answer is clear – no. While that may seem harsh, it’s simply the reality of the situation. If things don’t miraculously change in the next year or so, the Portland Trailblazers may have no choice but to blow things up.

Maybe it’s time to take the decision out of Lillard’s hands. If the Trailblazers underperform this year, what should the next steps be for the Portland Trailblazers organization?