American News: The idea of the pioneers building a team is vague & the improvement is limited and I don’t want to show it badly. I can’t help but welcome Lillard back

August 5th, today's Trail Blazers reporter Mike Richman and Washington Post reporter Ben Golliver jointly hosted a podcast program. During this period, they talked about the complex team building of the Trail Blazers. The following is some of the content.

Maybe I will say it more directly. I am not optimistic about the Trail Blazers' welcome to Lillard back. This team's idea of building a team is very vague. For the pioneers, they seem to be more inclined to maintain a fun atmosphere than to rush to rebuild. They will hope that fans will be excited about Yang Hansen's performance, such as exciting passes and European steps. From this perspective, I think this is a healthy environment that will help Yang's growth and development.

But the future of the Trail Blazers is full of uncertainty. Fans are looking forward to and enthusiastic about the team, and management seems hesitant to deal with Lillard's multi-year contract ($42 million in three years). Whether buying out Ayton, sending Anthony Simmons away, or choosing Yang Hansen, these are all good operations, but I don’t understand why Lillard is welcomed back. Although Lillard expressed his willingness to coach young players and take on roles similar to an assistant coach, the team’s real goals seem to be unclear. The team made some adjustments in the summer, including trading and signing new players, but these moves did not completely resolve the team's identity crisis. Scott Henderson is highly expected, but there are still questions about whether he can become the core leader of the team. Some people think he has potential, but others think he has finished his talents.

The Trail Blazers may only be around 11th in the Western Conference, and their chances of entering the playoffs are slim. What are their goals? No. 10? However, the team clearly hopes to attract fans and boost box office revenue by increasing competitiveness. They won 36 games last season and management hopes to improve this season, not retreat. The roster adjustment of the team has improved the strength of some teams, but to be successful in the NBA, it will require more luck and excellent drafts. Trail Blazers’ experience over the past few years shows that bad performance does not necessarily bring the expected results. Therefore, the team has chosen a more pragmatic path, hoping to gradually improve their performance while maintaining the enthusiasm and support of the fans.