We Need To Stop Trying To Get Damian Lillard Out Of Portland
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OK enough of this bullshit. Someone has to speak up for Blazers fans out there and while I acknowledge that I am very clearly a nobody, I still have a login to the best website on the internet so I'll say it.
stop trying to get Damian Lillard out of Portland
This shit is so tiring. On one hand, people complain that the league is ruined because guys are just heading to NY or LA to team up. Everyone wanted Giannis to leave Milwaukee. People have been clamoring for Dame to leave for years, yet they also then turn right around and talk about how the league has no parity and this new wave of player movement is ruining the product. It makes my head spin.
How much clearer can Dame make it? He's in Portland until they decide to move on. He doesn't care if he never wins a ring there, he's gone on to say it 1000000 times
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What happened to appreciating the days when franchise guys were loyal and wanted to stay with one team for their entire career? It's not hard to be able to see what Dame is currently doing in Portland. Watch. How hard is that? Stay up late, record it, watch the recaps the next day. It has literally never been easier in today's world to follow what's going on with the stars in the league. He doesn't need to be in LA or with the Knicks to become a star. He is a star. We are not robbed as fans because he plays in Portland. If anything I would argue that it's more enjoyable to watch Dame do Dame shit while carrying the only franchise he's ever known on his back. This isn't like 1997 when the internet was brand new or some shit. It couldn't be easier to watch Dame if you were interested in watching one of the best players in the entire league.
Don't say it's a timezone thing either. How would it be different if he were on the Lakers. So what, they'd have more national TV games? OK. Cool. How does that solve this issue of watching Dame every night. That's right, it doesn't. Small markets have it tough enough as it is in today's NBA climate. Shit, even big markets are having a tough time keeping their elite level stars. So here we have a legit MVP candidate doing nothing but staying loyal and committed to the team that drafted him and instead of talking about what he's doing on the floor we're talking about how he needs a different market.
That shit suuuuuuuuuuuuucks.
If when things are all said and done Dame ends up being one of the best players to never win a ring, so be it. I'm pretty sure he's OK with that. That life isn't for everybody though. We saw guys like KD join a super team because a ring was important to him for his legacy. James Harden just did the same. Personally, I respect Dame for taking this approach. I find it unique in today's world that he's willing to go through the struggles and the process of maybe one day reaching the top of the mountain.
How about we focus on that rather than waste our time wishing and talking about how Dame needs to head to a big market. Grow up and watch the Blazers on League Pass if you want to see him play. Figure it out.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.