"He should've left that organization!" - Stephen A. Smith expresses discontent at Damian Lillard's loyalty to Portland
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Damian Lillard is ready to leave the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lillard has shown a tremendous level of commitment and loyalty to the franchise despite years of failure. The front office has failed to build a team around a player that is considered to be one of the best shooters in league history.
Speaking on ESPN's 'First Take', Smith explained why he has an issue with Damian Lillard's loyalty:
“I have a problem with Portland shutting him down but I have more of a problem with Dame. And I say that out of sheer affection and admiration. I love this guy, I have known him for years, and I am telling you something right now.”
.@stephenasmith says Damian Lillard should've left Portland years ago 😳
"Damian Lillard is one of the great, great guards this game has ever seen. ... He's given this organization everything he's had. It hasn't worked. ... He should've BEEN left that organization." https://t.co/xWkG6i2rd4
Smith also emphasized that Lillard has given everything to the organization:
“He has given this organization everything he has had. It hasn’t worked. Its not enough. He gotta be committed to going to a better situation. I think he is getting to that point. Now more so than ever. I can see it in his face."
"But damnit, it is a little bit too late to the party. He should have done this years ago. He should have left that organization. And that’s how I felt. And I am not saying anything I have not told him. Now, he is seeing that. Based of what I am seeing, I think he is getting that now.”
Stephen Smith believes Damian Lillard should have left Portland Trail Blazers years ago
Damian Lillard has said that he might not play in the NBA for much longer. The 32-year old isn't fond of today's NBA culture. He disagrees with star players who switch teams in order to win championships.
According to Stephen Smith, Lillard should follow in the footsteps of other superstars such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant:
“Damian Lillard is one of the great, great guards this game has ever seen and I believe he is a future Hall of Famer. But I don’t know how many times he’s had to have been told. The Portland Trail Blazers are not the place to be."
"There were about 17-18 games this year when they [Trail Blazers] had a 10-point or more lead and then lost the lead. I mean, you just don’t see that very often."
Lillard's on the back end of his career. Time is running out for him to capture an NBA title. The Trail Blazers are currently 13th in the Western Conference with a 31-40 record. Lillard is still playing at a high level. According to Smith, he should focus on getting traded from the Portland Trail Blazers:
“Personally speaking, I always root for my man Chauncey Billups, I knew him as the president of basketball operations more so as a head coach, but that’s just me. But they don’t just have it.
"At the end of the day, Damian Lillard has been here long enough. ...You want to be in a competitive situation, and you want to maximize your potential and what you bring to the table. Then you have to insist on being in a better situation than show the level of loyalty and support that he has shown.”
Lillard has averaged a career-high 32.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 57 games this season.