The 2021-22 NBA season has not been good for Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. It has come as a shock to many as Lillard is considered one of the best players in the league. But so far this season, the 31-year-old has missed his touch.
As a result, the Blazers are struggling to even compete for a playoff spot, let alone plan to aim to win the NBA Championship. This begs the question, is it time for the franchise to finally part ways with Lillard? Well, at least NBA analyst Jay Williams believes that.
Previously, Williams talked about the uncertainly regarding Lillard’s future in Portland. Jay didn’t doubt Lillard’s loyalty as it is a well-known fact that Dame is one of the most loyal players in the league.
This time around, the player-turned-analyst has suggested a trade idea for the Blazers. It involves another top-notch point guard in Kyrie Irving. Irving is yet to play a game this season due to his stance on staying unvaccinated. Here’s what Williams proposed about the potential swap:
“You look at a team in Portland. I actually think for Portland, it would be in there best long-term interest to let Damian Lillard go, considering he is asking for that 3-year extension, $170 million. How about a swap there? Dame [for] Kyrie. Kyrie will then be able to play in Portland. And then you put on a guy like Dame on the same team with Kevin Durant and James Harden… Kyrie definitely wants to play basketball. If he were anywhere else other then the three cities that have municipalities, he would be playing basketball. We have unvaccinated players who are playing basketball right now. So at the end of the day it will come down to, if Kyrie can’t play in New York, he still wants to play and where can he make that happen.”
(starts at 0:22)
"I actually think for Portland, it would be in their best long-term interest to let Damian Lillard go …. How about a swap there? Dame [for] Kyrie."
—@RealJayWilliams 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BwZa4Fx6RS
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 15, 2021
As Jay Will explained, Kyrie is eager to play basketball. He loves the sport, but due to the rules about getting vaccinated in New York, he has been sidelined indefinitely.
On the other hand, Lillard has given his entire career to the city of Portland, but time after time, the veteran guard has failed to take the team to the next level. While injuries have played a prominent role in that, this season Lillard has to take the blame as well.
Now the only question remains: Will this trade actually go down? Well, we have no way to answer that, only time will tell.
