Damian Lillard will reportedly be demanding a trade soon, but Skip Bayless doesn’t think he has it in him to betray Portland with such a request like that.
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Lillard has been with the Trailblazers since he was drafted in 2012, but he’s never made to an NBA Finals, and the one time he made the conference finals, the Blazers were swept by the almighty Warriors in 2019.
During Lillard’s nine years, the Blazers have never made the Finals, made the conference finals once and the second round only thrice. If you’re looking to keep your franchise star happy, that isn’t exactly the kind of formula you want to be following.
After another playoff disappointment this season, it looks like Lillard’s finally frustrated and done with the whole ‘loyal’ guy approach.
A source close to Damian Lillard says that in the days to come, he plans to request a trade, per @TrueHoop pic.twitter.com/ZWTFuwrMsD
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) July 16, 2021
Skip Bayless Doesn’t Think Damian Lillard Can Disappoint His Fans And Demand A Trade
Damian Lillard has been the staple for NBA loyalty in a time of superteams and superstar pair ups. Despite several years of failure and the front office’s lack of a way to build up Portland to be a championship team, Lillard has never complained.
In fact, he was one of the people to call out people who were switching teams calling them “weak.”
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Perhaps, his patience has finally worn thin, and all he wants now is to win. Lillard leaving Portland will make headlines no matter where he goes. That team will instantly be a playoff contender if not more (depending where he goes).
However, to do that to the city of Portland will take a lot of bravery. Portland has embraced Lillard as their own, and he’s given them plenty of memories to remember over the last nine years.
Any time a superstar leaves a team, it’s a tough pill to swallow for the fans of that player. Often, the departure doesn’t have to be on bad terms (like LeBron leaving Cleveland), and it’s probable that if Lillard does leave, the reaction will be positive with Trailblazers fans wishing him luck and not burning his jersey.
However, Skip Bayless doesn’t think Lillard has the kind of bravery in him to demand a trade and betray the city he’s been so loyal to over the years.
Damian Lillard loves to be loved. Does he really have the stomach for publicly demanding a trade and having Portland fans blaze a trail into his mentions, condemning his betrayal? He’ll read and take to heart every last scathing tweet. I doubt he really wants any part of that.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 16, 2021
Yeah, facing the backlash will be tough for Lillard. However, if you consider everything he’s done for the franchise, then he shouldn’t have anything to fear. Fans will want Lillard to leave with a good memory of the team that drafted him and not have any resentments. If that’s the case, then Lillard will definitely speak up when the time comes.