The Portland Trail Blazers had a chance to put something special together, but they didn’t get the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
One could argue that pairing Victor Wembanyama — even as a rookie — with Damian Lillard could’ve given them a chance to make the playoffs, but the No. 3 pick might not be as ready as Wembanyama is and is definitely not as valuable as a trade asset either.
That’s why Chris Broussard believes both the Blazers and Damian Lillard need to come to terms with the fact that they need to part ways for each other’s sake.
“If Dame stays in Portland the rest of his career he is not going to win a championship. … Dame’s loyalty and the Blazers loyalty is admirable, but it flawed thinking on both sides.” — @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/lWKani1wKW
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 7, 2023
Broussard compared Lillard to Kevin Garnett, who also refused to leave the Minnesota Timberwolves and then admitted that his only career regret was not joining the Boston Celtics sooner.
Like Garnett, Lillard could play in the NBA Finals and even win a championship before retiring or entering the backend of his prime, which would obviously skyrocket his already impressive legacy.
Broussard also claimed that — as good as Lillard is — a 6-foot-2 guard won’t be able to lead a team to the NBA championship, as history has proved it — obviously with the exceptions of Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas.
There’s no denying that Lillard is one of the most unstoppable scorers in the game right now, and he’s a bonafide leader and arguably the greatest Blazer of all time.
Loyalty is valued, especially nowadays.
But they’re both holding each other back, and it’s time they just let go of each other.
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CJ McCollum Comments On Damian Lillard’s Future In Portland