For now, Damian Lillard is still part of a Portland Trail Blazers team that seems in no rush to trade him despite his request to join the Miami Heat two months ago. The 33-year-old doesn’t want to waste another year of his prime, but he also doesn’t want to have anyone calling him a front-runner when his career is over.
Lillard joined rappers and entertainers Cam’ron and Mase on their “It Is What It Is” podcast to discuss his situation with Portland and why he’s never considered making a move to the Warriors.
“As far as Golden State – I respect what they’ve been doing over there the last eight, nine years or whatever,” Lillard said. “I’m from there, obviously that’s home, but I can’t go be a part of that. They done won four championships. What do I look like trying to do that? Like, ‘Oh, I’m joining my home team.’ Nah. They’ve got someone at my position (Steph Curry) that’s behind LeBron as the best player of this era. You know what I’m saying? To me, that doesn’t even make sense. I’d never do nothing like that. I’d lose every year before I go.”
That’s a nice show of respect to Steph, who has overshadowed Lillard in the Western Conference the past decade.
Last season snapped an eight-year playoff streak for Lillard and the Blazers, who are inexperienced around Dame and don’t seem to be serious contenders in the Western Conference. To this point, Lillard has been fiercely loyal to Rip City, but it appears he’s finally had enough of being a playoff afterthought. The closest Lillard ever got to the NBA Finals was in 2019, but Portland got swept by the Kevin Durant-era Dubs.
Speaking of Durant, Lillard said he wouldn’t have made a move to Golden State like KD, who joined the Dubs in 2016 after his Oklahoma City Thunder was knocked out in the Western Conference Finals.
“Obviously, KD is one of the greatest players of all time, but if I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t have done that, personally,” Lillard said. “They won it once before I got there. That ain’t something that I would have did. But I think everybody’s situation — you gotta do what you gotta do.”
It sounds like Dame doesn't want to anywhere with a recent championship. He wants the leave his mark on an organization, and it doesn't look like it'll be the Blazers. The Heat haven't won a ring since LeBron James helped bring back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, so Lillard seems OK with joining Jimmy Butler and his quest to get a trophy after years of knocking at the door.