In this era where superstars jump ship with increasing regularity, Damian Lillard has been steadfastly loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers.
He has been praised for the same, but an NBA GM doesn’t think that staying in Portland is all that difficult for Dame.
“It’s easy to be loyal when they’re giving you that much money,” an NBA GM told ESPN.
Lillard has definitely been compensated handsomely for his services by the Trail Blazers. He is in the midst of a 4-year, $176.3 million deal and after this season, he would have earned $233.7 million in salaries from them.
He also signed a 2-year, $121.8 million extension last year, with a player option for the 2026-27 season at a massive $63.2 million. All of that would amount to almost $450 million in earnings over 15 seasons, which is a lot.
Money doesn’t necessarily buy happiness though and it would be unfair to say that it has made it easy for him to stay. We have seen plenty of superstars who have been paid all the money in the world, but it still doesn’t stop them from wanting to leave for greener pastures.
Lillard desperately wants to win a title, but winning it someplace other than Portland wouldn’t mean the same to him. Unfortunately for Dame, though, it is hard to see him ever accomplishing his ultimate goal. He has been absolutely terrific over the years, averaging 25.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 4.2 RPG in his 11 seasons and they made the playoffs in 8 of his first 10 years.
Despite consistently making it to the postseason, they haven’t been able to do much once they get in. They only made it to the Conference Finals once, when they were swept by the Golden State Warriors and got out of the first round on just two other occasions. This season also seems to be going nowhere as they are the 11th seed in the West.
Damian Lillard Feels The Grass Isn’t Always Greener On The Other Side
Lillard’s recent 71-point explosion has led to growing calls for him to leave the Blazers. Fans and media alike want to see a player of his caliber compete for championships, but Lillard said the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and he pointed to Russell Westbrook as an example of that.
Dame wants to bring a championship to the city he was drafted in, like Giannis Antetokounmpo did, stating that it would have been very fulfilling for the Greek superstar. It definitely would be special to win a title for the team that drafted you, but at some point, you have to come to the realization that it won’t happen.
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