Can Damian Lillard Help Ja Morant Unlock Portland's Potential?

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Could Damian Lillard Help Ja Morant Stay Focused?

Damian Lillard’s potential effect on Ja Morant, both on and off the court, will be worth watching. Memphis catered to Morant when it was his team, and that approach ultimately proved detrimental. Lillard is one of the NBA’s most respected players of the past couple of decades, and if he can help Morant focus on basketball, they could form one of the league’s best and most dangerous backcourts.

There are still questions about what Lillard can offer at this point in his career. He went to Milwaukee intending to win a championship and possibly finish his career there, but his play with the team was not great. After missing an entire year, uncertainty remains over whether his return to Portland will be a one-year stint and whether he is still a top player at his position.

Lillard does not need to be the player he was 10 years ago. The team has enough scoring with Deni Avdija and Morant. What it needs is a veteran presence who can provide leadership and help bring everything together, particularly with a first-time head coach. Whatever Lillard can still contribute on the court, he can at least be that leader.