Overview
- Lillard says executives asked whether his relationship with Aldridge was “salvageable,” which surprised him because he believed they had no issues.
- After the meeting, he called Aldridge, who said he was hearing conflicting messages about whose team it was and decided it was too late to stay.
- Aldridge then left in free agency to join the Spurs on a four-year, $80 million deal in the summer of 2015.
- Lillard believes the Blazers could have won a championship within one or two years had the partnership continued.
- He says the two later reconciled and blamed outside noise for the split, as he now returns to Portland while rehabbing an Achilles injury.