“He's loyal, he's really from a generation before that he's playing in” – Former NBA champion believes Damian Lillard’s loyalty will pay off

In Damian Lillard's ten long seasons in the NBA, his desire to win with the Portland Trailblazers has remained a constant.

The six-time NBA All-Star has previously questioned players who "ran from the grind" and joined superteams. As it turns out, Lillard's attitude has earned him considerable praise from NBA veterans as well.

2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups knows a thing or two about the grind. As a member of the underdog 2004 Detroit Pistons team, the NBA Hall of Famer proved that championship teams can be built as well as bought.

During a recent episode of All The Smoke, Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups joined Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson to weigh in on Lillard's desire to win in Portland:

"Dame is just, he's always honest in his interviews. He's just a real one, you know... He's loyal, he's really from a generation before that he's playing in, he's from that cloth you know..."

Going into the upcoming season, Lillard and the Trailblazers will look to have a breakout year and make a deep playoff run.

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Damian Lillard and The Trailblazers' quest for a Larry O'Brien trophy

Damian Lillard and Chauncey Billups in Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Last year was an especially hard one for the Trailblazers. Damian Lillard was dealing with an abdominal injury and without their star player, Portland looked lackluster. 'Dame' is all healed up now.

So could this be a breakout year for the Trailblazers? With veteran big man Jusef Nurkic returning to the team's lineup in addition to a solid offseason by the front office, head coach Chauncey Billups seems to think so:

"So having him healthy, having him to just pour in, you know and having Nurk back and little GP, he just my kind of dude, he gonna play the right way at all times. Jerami Grant bringing him on board having that athleticism... So we'll have a lot of opportunity to do a lot of different things this year."

With the additions of Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II, the franchise could see renewed energy as they look to make a playoff return. Whether or not the team manages to break through in a stacked Western Conference, however, remains to be seen.

Give us your projections for the Portland Trailblazers this season in the comment section below!