NBA Rumors: Damian Lillard Could Be Shut Down For The Season

Well, this one certainly came out of left field. According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Portland Trail Blazers could be on the verge of shutting down superstar Damian Lillard for the balance of the season.

The Blazers could shut down Damian Lillard if the season slips away, per @ChrisBHaynes

“Dame probably has five or six more games left before Portland probably shuts him down for the season. There's no use playing the duration of these games. So look out for that. If these next… https://t.co/qMOgRcuhag pic.twitter.com/GarJRcgoaR
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 17, 2023

Speaking with fellow insider Marc Stein on their #this league podcast, Haynes suggested:

Dame probably has five or six more games left before Portland probably shuts him down for the season. There's no use playing the duration of these games. So look out for that. If these next five, six games, they keep struggling, I will suspect (that they'll shut him down).

While Lillard continues to have the best statistical season of his career, the Trail Blazers have lost four straight, seven of their last 10, and sit 2.5 games back of the final Play-In spot with 13 games to play. If they don't make up some ground and get themselves back into contention, "I think you gotta pull the plug," says Haynes.

Don't blame Dame for the Blazers' predicament. Lillard is averaging a career-high of 32.3 points, and has posted 14 forty-point or better games, including a 71-point game, a 60 and a 50 spot.

Photo: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports