Damian Lillard DISSES Kevin Durant, calls out Suns star for shocking decision
Damian Lillard criticizes Kevin Durant for his trade to the Warriors in 2016.
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Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant (Credits: ABC News and ESPN)
Recently, NBA star Damian Lillard, who has made headlines for asking to be traded from the Portland Trail Blazers, was invited on a talk show called ‘It Is What It Is’. He was asked about his trade request and his desire to win championships. On the topic of winning rings, Damian Lillard spoke about Kevin Durant moving to the Golden State Warriors in 2016. He explicitly stated he would never do something like that.
For the unversed, Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors in 2016. This shifted the power dynamics of the league and helped form perhaps the greatest super team in recent history. Lillard said he would rather lose every year than ever do something similar. When asked about if he would’ve joined the Warriors back then, he said, “I respect what they’ve been doing over the last eight, nine years or whatever and I’m from there obviously. That’s home. But I can’t be a part of that…. It don’t even make sense. I never do nothing like that. I lose every year before I go.”
When asked about his thoughts specifically on Durant’s move, Lillard had this to say.“If I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t have done that personally. I just felt like, it’s the team they lost to, it’s a team that won it once before he got there.”
Lillard himself finds himself in a precarious position at the moment. He asked to be traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason, but the Blazers have, as of now, made no moves. Lillard has increasingly had to deal with the possibility of not being traded before the regular season starts. If he is not traded, he will be forced to play for a franchise he no longer wants to.
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Kevin Durant’s blockbuster move to the Warriors
In 2016, Kevin Durant sent shockwaves throughout the NBA when he made the decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors. While it wasn’t unusual for an NBA star to join a team already loaded with superstar talent, what truly stunned fans was the context and circumstances surrounding the move.
In the 2015-2016 postseason, when Durant was with the Thunder, they faced Curry’s Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Despite giving it their all, the Thunder fell to the Warriors in 7 games. Many expected Durant to stay with the Thunder, and train harder to help bring them closer to a championship next season. Instead, Durant signed with the Warriors, the very team that beat them. This was seen by many as treason, and Durant was labeled a traitor and a snake.
The move worked well for Durant, however. He won 2 rings and 2 FMVPs during his time with the Warriors. In the 2019 post-season, Durant tore his Achilles in the finals against the Toronto Raptors. He was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets. After a string of disappointing post-seasons with the Nets he is now back in the Western Conference, this time with the Phoenix Suns.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)