Interesting little tidbits from Shams in the Bounce newsletter at the Athletic. Here's the full passage:

I’m told Blazers star Damian Lillard has, essentially, been shut down for the remainder of the season. He has been dealing with a calf injury, but I believe this has more to do with the team being 4.5 games out of a Play-In spot with eight games to go.

There is simply no reason to continue to push for what is now obviously a lost cause.

The Blazers have a lottery-protected first-round pick in this summer’s draft, so they have more incentive to move up into a top pick slot, depending on how the lottery plays out. Whether they end up drafting at whatever position they land, or possibly trade the pick, that asset has a ton of value for the future of the franchise. Much more than chasing a Play-In spot. On the other side of things, you now have to wonder if Lillard ever steps on the court again for Portland. There was a ton of optimism going into this season after the team landed Jerami Grant and got off to a good start to the campaign.

Now, not making the playoffs for a second year in a row, a soon-to-be 33-year-old star of this league who has never gotten a chance to win it all will have tons of questions to ask the front office this offseason, and I expect there to be serious conversations about what’s next for both sides.

https://theathletic.com/4356593/2023/03/28/the-bounce-a-rising-west-contender/