Dame believes player recruitment is more powerful than pitch meetings

In light of Kawhi Leonard's reported recruitment of Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers, Damian Lillard believes it's clear players hold more sway in attracting stars to their respective teams than executives.

Lillard says stars recruiting one another has become part of the game and that it's become a "more powerful" tool than traditional pitch meetings with prospective clubs.

"It's become huge," Lillard told reporters, including ESPN's Nick Friedell. "Because sometimes the coaches and the front offices, they don't have as much power as the players. The players are so friendly now.

"I think in the past it was like (Michael) Jordan probably didn't go out searching and trying to get guys to come join him. It was like they were competing against each other."

The All-Star guard officially signed a four-year, $196-million super-max extension with the Trail Blazers on Saturday and feels that winning a title in Portland would be more meaningful than doing so elsewhere.

"I've said also in the past that I want to do it here," Lillard said. "They haven't won a championship since '77, the one and only, and it would just feel so much better to know that I just kept it solid and I did the work.

"In the end, I know that if it gets done, it will feel much better to know that I did it in a solid way. I didn't have to go and play with the best players just to get it done. For me, this is the way I want to do it. And I know that if it don't happen I can live with it because I know the route that I chose. I accepted it a long time ago."

Lillard averaged 25.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per contest across 80 appearances this past season. The 28-year-old's share of playoff heroics helped Portland reach their first Western Conference finals in 19 years.