Watch: Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard talks about loyalty amidst trade rumors: "This is the vision I have for myself"
Loyalty is a big deal for NBA superstar Damian Lillard, but at the same time he also believes it has to make sense.
In a video posted on Twitter by SportsCenter, the 33-year-old Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard talks about what loyalty is for him amid trade rumors.
“I’ve always said that I am loyal to who I am, and I’m going to do what I feel like the right thing to do. This is the vision I have for myself, this is what I see being fit for me, at this moment, I’m going to ride it ‘til the wheels fall off but you know, anything I’m a part of, it all has to be connected. That is what I’m loyal to.”
Back in July, it became public that Damian Lillard had requested to be traded after playing with the Trail Blazers since 2012. His most preferred destination is the Miami Heat, who played in the finals of the 2022-23 NBA season.
However, there is no breakthrough on a deal with the Heat yet, making the possibility of ‘Dame’ remaining with the team that drafted him sixth overall in the 2012 rookie draft well into the preseason activities highly likely.
At Portland, Damian Lillard won Rookie of the Year and was a seven-time NBA All-Star. He has scored 19,376 points to go along with 5,151 assists and 2,387 three pointers made. Lillard was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Damian Lillard trade talks with Heat reaches deadlock after Trail Blazers decline several offers
The NBA All-Star's move from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Miami Heat remains at a standstill as the teams have yet to find a suitable deal that would make it work.
In a recent report by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, talks among the parties involved have hardly progressed, with Portland declining several offers.
Prior to requesting a trade, Lillard expressed interest in remaining a Trail Blazer provided the team committed to improving and putting itself in a better position to compete.
On ESPN’s “NBA n Stephen A’s World” program, the player shared:
"I ain't going to say I'm putting them on the clock. If those things (significant improvements) can't be done, if we can't do something significant like that, we won't have a chance to compete on that level."
He added:
"Then, not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will too. Because at that point, are you going to go young or are we going to get something done."
Portland finished the 2022-23 NBA season at 13th place in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record.