“I started to worry about too many pats on the back,’’ the Blazers captain said.
What if the edge that fueled the Blazers throughout their surprising 44-win season, and the hunger that motivated a mostly unproven roster to reach the Western Conference semifinals, would softened this hardened group, Lillard wondered?
But on Thursday, after the team’s exit interviews at their practice facility in Tualatin, Lillard was put at ease by a subtle revelation: By June, at least half of the team will be in Portland to train, and at least five will stay in Portland for the majority of the summer to workout.
“That makes me happy to hear so many guys will be here working out this summer because that lets me know they see how close we are and they see how important that is going to be moving forward,’’ Lillard said.
It is part of a growing tradition inside the Blazers that is beginning to separate this era from any other in Portland.
Usually, most teams have players scattered across the nation -- either on vacation or working out on their own. If players reported back to their city by September that was considered ahead of the curve. If they reported by October, it was the norm.
But in a movement started by Lillard and CJ McCollum, more and more Blazers are staying in the Rose City year round.
This summer, Allen Crabbe, Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard said they all will mostly stay in Portland, give or take a few weeks. Others, like Mason Plumlee, Maurice Harkless and Noah Vonleh will return for much of June to train at the team’s facility, while Pat Connaughton, Cliff Alexander and Luis Montero are also expected to spend time in Portland with the team’s Summer League preparations.
