NBA News Roundup, Thursday, August 22nd: Lakers urged to sign Joakim Noah over Dwight Howard, Damian Lillard reaffirms commitment to Portland and more

Damian Lillard reaffirms his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard has spent his entire career with the Portland Trail Blazers

Since entering the league in 2012, Damian Lillard has developed into one of the NBA's elite guards. A four-time All-Star, Lillard has also been the driving force behind the Portland Trail Blazers' attempts to win a first championship since 1977.

Lillard signed a new supermax deal with the franchise earlier this summer, and the 29-year-old told Complex that he was never interested in leaving to create a Super Team:

It’s not so much about an organization. It’s to the city. To leave, what did I invest all this time for just to leave, you know? If I go play with three other stars, I don’t think that many people would doubt that I could win it. We would win it, but what is the challenge or the fun in that?

Lillard helped guide the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals last season, averaging 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds over 16 postseason games.