Damian Lillard to leave Trail Blazers? Superstar PUTS LEAGUE ON NOTICE with latest comments
Damian Lillard has played for the Portland Trailblazer since his rookie season.
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Damian Lillard (Image via Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Portland Trailblazers have been a team with heavy potential the last few seasons. However, they have consistently fallen short of a successful season campaign. Moreover, despite Damian Lillard‘s excellence on the court, the Blazers have not made a final appearance yet. There’s no doubt that for someone with Lillard’s caliber, constant failures tend to sting quite a bit.
For quite some time now, Damian Lillard has expressed his desire to win an NBA championship. Moreover, he has also been the subject of many trade rumors. Although, in the past, the guard has been adamant about staying in Portland, many fans suspect that he is slowly beginning to consider other options. Lillard was talking about trade scenarios and ‘what ifs’ on ShowTime’s ‘The Last Stand’ podcast.
“They could trade me to somewhere that we all say ‘this is a contender.’ But what is it gonna cost for me to get there? What is it gonna cost the team that we are say is a contender for me to get there? And how is it a guarantee that we are gonna play in June when I get there?” Damian Lillard said, talking about a scenario where he is traded to a title-contending team and the added questions it brings.
“When Russ (Westbrook) went to the Lakers everybody was ‘Lakers!’ you know what I mean?” he said, giving an example. He then said, “I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland… We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete. If we can’t do that… then it’s a separate conversation we would have to have”.
Related: “I’m going to the Lakers” – Damian Lillard ‘reveals’ offseason plan during an Instagram live video
Where could Damian Lillard be traded to?
There are quite a few potential landing zones if Damian Lillard were to be traded. First, Lillard could join LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are known to recruit high-profile star players. Moreover, with D’Angelo Russell‘s contract, the Lakers might be looking for an alternate effective guard.
Next, Lillard could leave for the New York Knicks or the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams had a disappointing Conference Semi-Finals series. While the Knicks have found Julius Randle to underperform in important matches, the 76ers have a two-fold dilemma. Philly currently has dismissed Doc Rivers as their Head Coach. Moreover, with James Harden possibly leaving for the Houston Rockets, Damian Lillard might be the perfect replacement.
Although Lillard has currently continued to express his desire to play for Portland, his decision to leave might be around the corner as well. Especially if the Blazers are unable to regroup and put up competitive spirit for the next season. In which case, we could see the guard in a new jersey.
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