"I'm tired of talking"- Kendrick Perkins is done with Damian Lillard trade talk and doubts star's motivation to contend
Every offseason, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers become a big talking point in the NBA. While many want to see the All-Star guard on a new team, he remains loyal to the organization.
At first, Damian Lillard was applauded for his loyalty to the franchise that drafted him. As the years have gone on, some have started to change their tune. One current analyst recently went on a rant about wanting to be done talking about Lillard.
During a recent appearance on ESPN's "First Take," Kendrick Perkins gave his thoughts on another summer of Lillard trade rumors. He wants to stop discussing the topic, and doesn't feel like the Blazers star acutally wants to contend for championships.
"At this point, I'm tired of talking about it. We've been talking about Damian Lillard and is he gonna get traded for the last three or four years. At this point, I'm starting to think Dame is trolling.
"Look, he wants to be in Portland. I don't know if championships matter to him like it matters to us and wanting to see him on the big stage."
"At this point... I'm tired of talking about [the trade rumors]... I'm starting to think that he's trolling... This relationship has ran it's course when it comes down to Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers."
— @KendrickPerkins
https://t.co/EX7RK2azem
Is Kendrick Perkins right about Damian Lillard?
Seeing how things have played out the past few years, it's hard to disagree with what Kendrick Perkins is saying about Damian Lillard. If championships were truly his goal, he would have requested a trade by now.
Since making the conference finals in 2019, the Portland Trail Blazers haven't even made it out of the first round of the playoffs. On top of that, they missed the postseason completely the past two years. It's clear that the franchise isn't close to being a serious title contender anytime soon.
If Lillard truly had his eyes on contending, staying in Portland would not be his top priority. Right now, the roster is more geared for a youth movement than competing for a championship. It reportedly tried to created a package around the No. 3 pick in the draft, but ended up taking Scoot Henderson.
At this point, Lillard has to decide between being the loyal superstar or wanting to pursue a title. He cannot have both in Portland as it doesn't have the talent to compete in a loaded Western Conference.
Now in his mid-30s, there is still a chance Lillard has a change of heart this summer. He only has so many years left at his peak, meaning the window is closing on his ability to be a high-impact player on a championship team.