开拓者和利尔德互相承诺，获胜

在周五签署了一份大规模两年，1.22亿美元的合同延期之后，波特兰开拓者特许经营明星达米安·利拉德（Damian Lillard）将在未来几年内被锁定到该组织。

在新闻发布会在波特兰举行的夏季联赛比赛之前新奥尔良鹈鹕周六，利拉德（Lillard），总经理乔·克罗宁（Joe Cronin）和主教练昌西·比卢普斯（Chauncey Billups）谈到了导致新交易的因素。

利拉德（Lillard）在决策过程中最重要的是，他与管理层之间建立冠军球队的愿望。利拉德说，他想要的只是打孔器的机会，该组织正在朝着正确的方向发展，以实现这一目标。

他说：“只要我有机会做到这一点，我就愿意出去。”“这就是我一直站在的地方，这就是我所站立的地方。我只想要一个机会，它将完成或无法完成。我不想在这场疯狂的上坡战斗中去那里，我们需要一个奇迹时代10才能完成。我只想开枪。而且，如果发生这种情况，并且它无法解决，那么我可以忍受它。”

比尔普斯（Billups）在他的球队控球后卫的话语中共同签约，称该组织正在努力做到莱拉德（Lillard）和一个热情的粉丝群在45年内渴望获得第一个冠军。

“We’re trying to build our team up so we can give Dame and our great fans a fair shake and a fair chance to accomplish what we all want, which is a championship.”

利拉德（Lillard）在前台信任的一部分来自有影响力的休赛期收购。利拉德（Lillard）称加入前锋杰拉米·格兰特（Jerami Grant）为“巨大”。他说，签署面向防守的后卫加里·佩顿二世“改变了球队”。虽然名册仍然远离真正的争论，但利拉德对前台的愿景充满信心。

“The answers that I got and the responses that I got, I didn’t look at him, like, ‘Oh, he’s just telling me this,’ I was able to trust what I was hearing from Chauncey and Joe,” Lillard said. “And I think I’ve got a good nose for when somebody is blowing smoke.”

Three years remained on Lillard’s current deal, worth about $137 million, so the extension will kick in after the 2024-25 season right before Lillard turns 35. The final year on the extension, the 2026-27 season, will be a $62 million player option. If Lillard opts in to that year, his next five seasons with the Blazers will cost $259 million.

Gaudy financial earnings and a culture predicated on winning were priorities that steered him to sign the new deal, but as it often is with Lillard, so were pride and loyalty.

他说，他考虑在波特兰令人沮丧的第一轮失利后离开太平洋西北丹佛掘金in the 2021 playoffs. Even after a 27-55 record in the season following that first round exit, Lillard remains committed to the organization that drafted him 10 years ago. During a player empowerment era known for ring chasing and stars requesting trades, Lillard said this type of loyalty is missing from the game.

莉拉德说：“我认为您不会仅仅出去并得分就可以赚到这样的东西。”“我们联盟中缺少的东西是角色和战斗，不仅是后面的名字，而且对前面的名字以及您如何影响与您接触的人的热情和自豪。”

随着新扩展的重申，利拉德和组织都在共同努力，以确保他永远不会为穿另一支球队的球衣感到自豪。

克罗宁说：“这项交易使我们能够继续踏上使他成为一生的西装外套的道路。”