The Damian Lillard Era
Since the 2012 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers had been led by Damian Lillard. Lillard was the face of the franchise since his rookie season and had been the leader of the team until 2023. This was when Damian Lillard requested a trade out of Portland because he felt that management of the team did not have the same goals as he did. He was sent to the Bucks in a three-team trade that brought Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to Portland. Damian Lillard is regarded as the team's best player of all time and he is currently the franchise leading scorer with over 19,000 points scored in a Blazers uniform. The 2012 draft ushered in the Dame Era and when he left in 2023, the post-Dame Era has since started.
Damian Lillard's Tenure
During his time in Portland, Damian Lillard was a 6-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA player, and the 2013 Rookie of the Year. He was the leader of the team and was the go-to player in clutch situations, earning the nickname "Dame Time" for how he took over when the game was ending. He was the face of the franchise and was loved by the fans. He led the team that made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, where they were ultimately swept by the overpowered Warriors. It always felt like Dame was just a few surrounding pieces away from becoming an NBA champion in Portland, but due to incompetence within the front office, he was never offered much help. Damian Lillard gave everything to Portland during his tenure and will always be noted as one of the GOATs.