“The Knicks are the number one preference for Damian Lillard”: Stephen A Smith drops a bomb, claims Blazers superstar is open to being a New York Knick

Damian Lillard, according to Stephen A Smith, is open to be a New York Knick as it is his first option if he were traded away from the Blazers. 

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers have been struggling to start their ‘22 NBA campaign. With their offseason riddled with mediocre acquisitions, front office drama regarding Chauncey Billups’s hiring, and the looming threat of Lillard’s potential departure from Portland, the Blazers did not push the needle in their favor to be title contenders. 

With Neil Olshey’s firing coming out of left field, Damian Lillard is the only person left of the 3 (Chris McGowan stepped down earlier this season) who joined the franchise together in 2012. However, this may change given just how much the Blazers have been struggling to find their footing.

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Trailblazers were on the edge of their seats all summer long due to the fact that Dame made several claims about wanting to be in a winning situation, something Portland currently isn’t in.  

He did eventually shut down any rumors about him requesting a trade away from PDX but Stephen A Smith is here to reignite the flames that stoke those rumors. 

Stephen A Smith says Damian Lillard prefers the New York Knicks if traded. 

This isn’t the first time that Stephen A Smith has pushed the ‘Dame to the Knicks’ agenda as he did so in August of this year as well. Seems as though his sources haven’t wavered in their claim that Damian Lillard is open to the idea of being traded to the ‘Mecca of Basketball’.

“The only thing that will really tickle him in leaving Portland believe it or not is going to the New York Knicks”

Stephen A. Smith on Damian Lillard 👀👀

(Via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/TnlCoe9NjC

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) December 4, 2021

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It should be reiterated that Damian Lillard has not said a peep about wanting out of Portland so until something of that sort surfaces from his camp, this is all based off pure speculation. 

It would make sense that Dame, if he were interested in leaving, but leave the small market in the Pacific NorthWest for the biggest market in the country: New York. The Knicks of course, have the cap space to sign Lillard so it’s only a matter of playing the waiting game to see if the former All-NBA talent will request a trade away from Portland.