If games are played to fulfill those regional deals, Damian Lillard said he won’t participate unless his Portland Trail Blazers team has a real shot at making the playoffs.
“If we come back and they’re just like, ‘We’re adding a few games to finish the regular season,’ and they’re throwing us out there for meaningless games and we don’t have a true opportunity to get into the playoffs, I’m going to be with my team because I’m a part of the team,” he told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday in a phone interview.
Lillard was explicit about his intentions as he continued: “If we come back and I don’t have an opportunity to make the playoffs, I will show up to work, I’ll be at practice and I’ll be with my team.
Meanwhile, many NBA teams have begun training in their practice facilities after they’ve been closed since March.
Lillard returned to the Blazers’ facility on May 8 and told ESPN what the first couple of weeks were like.