Mostly paraphrasing while typing....
Windhorst (on his pod): "I don't believe based on my conversations (in Dame's orbit) that Dame is serious at this point to say he wants out, but I do think he was put in a very uncomfortable position and partially because of his own making. The Blazers are now in a position where they need some stabilizing and they need Dame and Chauncey to build a relationship together."
"I know both Dame had conversations with both Billups and D'Antoni during the interview process (either in the formal setting or out) and one of the things MDA made his case for Dame to become a ball-handling MVP and Dame was impressed with D'Antoni, but the message Dame would like to project is that these conversations were not his way of "vetting them" or that he was acting as the "captain of the franchise" in the process, but he wants to keep his hands of it. At the end of the day, he has 4 yrs on his contract with huge numbers. "
"I want to be clear about Chauncey but I've spent a lot of time talking to him in 2017 when he was considering the Cavs GM job that he was offered, and I told him then that there was a good chance that Lebron would leave. He had said that would be OK with him and that he would have been OK with building something from scratch. I think he will try to engage and connect with Dame and try to make it work, but he won't be worried if Dame is closer to the edge and wants out."
Pelton: "To imply that Dame had no role in the Billups hiring is disingenuous.... I understand why he feels sensitive, but for him to use that as a pretext for an eventual departure is a bit of a stretch to me."
Young: "Damian has always been rigid in his loyalty to the Blazers both publicly and privately, but this was the first time you've heard some of those whispers about antsyness from Dame. It seems like there is a goundwork being laid here and it's his attempt to distance himself and provide some cover (from criticism)."
"I was writing articles on the team two years ago and was sitting in Neil's office and I can't get over how many times Olshey compared Billups to Dame as "that kind of leader." This is the guy the team wanted to reorganize them, and would hold them accountable like a player-coach."