LAS VEGAS -- Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard says star players recruiting each other has become a more "powerful" way to join forces than the traditional approach of franchises holding pitch meetings during free agency.

"It's become huge," Lillard said during a news conference to announce his four year, $196 million extension on Saturday. "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 was competing against each other.

"Now it's, 'Well, they got three stars on their team, so I know this guy and that guy, I'm going to try to get them to come to my team.' So I think you see [recruiting] a lot more now where it's just players recruiting players is more powerful than the pitch meeting with the team. That's just what it is now, so it's a huge part of the game now."

Lillard's comments come in the wake of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joining forces to play for the LA Clippers, a move that Lillard acknowledged even surprised him on Friday night. Lillard, who has spent his entire career with the Trail Blazers, says he continues to strive to become the greatest player in the history of the organization.

"I think we've built something special," Lillard said. "It's been built genuine and in an environment that we've created. It's something that I've been a part of and something that I want to continue to be a part of. And having my family in Portland, everything is set up. I've kind of gotten comfortable, and it feels like things are the way it needs to be, that it should be. And everybody around me is happy with that, so aside from the personal stuff, even my career, I feel like it's only right that this is where I continue to play."