For years, NBA fans and even colleagues have urged Damian Lillard to just cut the cord and leave the Portland Trail Blazers. He's one of the best scorers in the league, yet his efforts continue to go to waste because of his team's struggles.
Several contending teams would love to have a guy like Lillard leading the way, and small-market teams often fail to surround their stars with the talent they need to thrive. However, Lillard has always vowed to stay loyal to Rip City.... Until now.
In a recent appearance on Stephen A's World with Stephen A. Smith, Lillard doubled down on his loyalty to the team but claimed that he might be forced to leave if they decide to start a rebuild.
Damian Lillard Hints At Leaving The Blazers
"It ain't a threat," Lillard said. "I am not gonna say that I am putting them on a clock; I'm just saying if we can't do something significant like that, we won't have a chance to compete on that level."
"Not only will I have a decision to make, but the organization will too," continued Lillard. "Are we gonna go young, or are we gonna get something done? We've not been fully committing to either one. Everybody wants to win. They believe I deserve that opportunity, and I am trusting that we're committed and diligent about doing those things this offseason; this is our most important offseason since I've been here."
That's fair and valid. Lillard is not at a point in his career where he should be a part of a rebuilding team, and the Blazers also need to realize that it's time for them to pull the plug and hit the drawing board again.
Lillard will most likely face plenty of backlash and mockery for leaving the team after all these years of saying that he wouldn't leave. But it's either that or wasting the backend years of his prime and the sunset of his career.
