Damian Lillard is having one of the greatest scoring stretches in the history of the NBA. Over the past 20 games, he’s been averaging 39 points per game on a ridiculous 71 true shooting percentage, all while dishing the ball 7.3 times per game and grabbing 5 rebounds.
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To cap off this 20 game run, Dame had the greatest game of his career, going off for 71 points against the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately, the big picture for the Portland Trailblazers isn’t celebrating Dame’s individual scoring achievements, rather it’s to make it to the Playoffs.
However, with the way the Blazers have started to middle after a promising 10-4 start to the game, it’s looking like quite the challenge for them to even sneak into the play-in, let alone a top 6 seed in the loaded Western Conference.
Damian Lillard on the downsides of requesting a trade
With Damian Lillard going off for 71 points, the narrative that he needs to leave Portland for a team that can give him a legitimate chance at winning a title has never been more at the forefront than it is right now. However, according to Lillard, requesting a trade has it’s own downsides.
While speaking with ESPN, the 7x All-Star detailed how Russell Westbrook, the man who was drafted by the OKC Thunder, requested a trade after Paul George did so in the summer of 2019. Since then, in a matter of 4 years, he’s been on the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Jazz, and now, the Clippers.
For Dame, requesting a trade wouldn’t lead to a life that may be greener on the other side. He would go on to give Russ his props as an MVP and a future Hall-of-Famer but clearly showcased just how quickly a player can go from that to be bought out and signed for the veteran’s minimum.
Damian Lillard isn’t leaving the Portland Trailblazers
As time goes on, NBA fans are subjected to more content with Dame’s side that further confirms his desire to stay with the Portland Trailblazers. While on the ‘Point Forward’ podcast, he told his former teammate, Evan Turner, that his naysayers ‘better pray’ he doesn’t win a title in Portland.
His undying loyalty to the Blazers comes from his father, who once told him that he would have to commit to Weber State because he had given them his word. Since then, Damian Lillard has kept his word to an organization he’s been a part of.
While it would be incredible to see Dame next to a legitimate All-NBA star, something we haven’t seen since the LaMarcus Aldridge pairing, it is refreshing to see a top 7 player in the world refuse to join forces elsewhere for the sake of a superteam.
