In Portland, Trail Blazers fans set their watches to Pacific Standard Time and “Lillard Time,” but how long will the franchise star’s battery last?



Damian Lillard has gone from a mid-major college star at Weber State to the sixth overall pick in 2012, to an All-Star and face of the franchise. He’s also dropped a couple of bars in the music world and drove more than a few daggers through the hearts of opponents down the stretch. Now, entering the prime of his career, can Lillard and the Trail Blazers get over the hump in the vaunted Western Conference?



Over the next two seasons, Portland has little salary cap flexibility. The Trail Blazers are committed to nearly $132 million for the upcoming season and $119 million for next season (not including team options on Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan and Jake Layman, who is eligible for a $1.9 million qualifying offer). Essentially, barring a trade or hitting a home run on a draft pick or two, Portland...