Damian Lillard has preached nothing but loyalty to the Portland Trailblazers. Despite limited playoff success at 29-years-old, Dame has made it known that he has no intention of leaving the franchise that drafted him.
But even Lillard couldn’t help but question his future at one point. Years ago, Lillard apparently believed he was headed to New York — thanks to some rumors that were going around at the time.
“I thought I was heading [to the Knicks] a few years ago,” said Lillard. “I had heard commercial rumors. Garden is my favorite place to play.”
The Knicks are desperate for a star, and there are few options better than Lillard. For his career, he’s averaging 24 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game on 43.6% shooting. He’s also a 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA player, and 2013 Rookie of The Year.
It’s no secret that Dame has connections to both the Lakers and the Knicks and if the day arrives where he no longer wants to play for his current club, both teams would likely be at the top of his list.
Regardless, his future is tied to how well the Blazers are able to perform. Last season, they made the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Warriors. This season, their fate remains to be seen. If Portland can step up and prove they can be a winning franchise, Lillard likely won’t be going anywhere.
If not? There are plenty of teams next in line.
