Although Stephen A. Smith thinks Lillard should go elsewhere to seek a championship, the Portland Trail Blazers’ star has always said he is happy in town
On Tuesday, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said the only way Damian Lillard could ever win a championship is to leave the Portland Trail Blazers.
“I don’t believe that Damian Lillard will ever win a championship in Portland because I don’t think that Portland will ever have the assets,” Smith said.
He added he does not think Lillard and CJ McCollum can win a championship together based on how the league is constructed and that one of them would have to leave to acquire valuable players.
Well, just rip my heart out, why don’t you?
This guy—me—would be devastated as an avid fan of Lillard and the Blazers if he left Portland. Unlike most elite talent around the league like Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis Or LeBron James who left their organizations to chase rings, Lillard has shown he does not endorse that mentality. For that, he deserves even more praise.
In an interview with Bleacher Report in 2019, Lillard talked about joining other players for championships.
“I’m not going to go and try to team up with top players in the league cause I know that’ll make the chances better,” Lillard said. “That’s not who I am.”
In 2019, Lillard told Smith in an interview that he is committed to Portland because of relationships he has built, his investment in the community and the environment he has helped create. He said he would hate to make a decision based on everyone else’s opinion, leave and lose that environment.
I would lose respect for Dame if he ever joined a team to chase a ring. He is elite and deserves an organization that wants to build around him.
The Portland Trail Blazers is that organization.
Did Jordan leave the Bulls? Kobe, the Lakers? Duncan, the Spurs?
Lillard is one of the few players that want to stay committed to the organization that drafted him—no matter what happens. He made that clear to Bleacher Report.
“On the outside, they gonna say ‘He’ll never win in Portland. They don’t have enough, they don’t have this,’” Lillard said. “For me, if we never get it done, we never get it done,”
But they can get it done. They are a talented team that needs to strengthen their ability to fight through adversity and become more defensive minded. An elite wing player that can score and play defense would also help.
I believe in Dame and the Blazers, Stephen A. Objectively as much as subjectively.