Damian Lillard has been speaking about a possible trade to the Golden State Warriors and it’s safe to say that he’s not exactly thrilled with the idea.
When directly asked about the chances of joining the Golden State Warriors, Damian Lillard didn’t appear enthusiastic about the scenario.
Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, with several NBA franchises – including the Miami Heat – emerging as possible destinations for the All-Star guard.
Lillard has two more years left on his contract with the Trail Blazers, but he would like to play for a team with championship potential. However, it seems that his preference remains unwavering.
The 33-year-old appeared on the online sports talk show ‘It Is What It Is’ hosted by rappers Cam’ron and Mase, to promote his upcoming album. Among other topics, Lillard addressed why he never signed with the Warriors, a team from his hometown that has also achieved significant success over the past decade.
“When it comes to Golden State, I respect what they’ve done over the last 8-9 years or whatever it’s been. And I’m from there, obviously, that’s home, but I can’t go there and be a part of that” – Lillard said.
“They’ve won four championships. How do I look, tryna do that and be like, ‘Oh, I’m joining my home team’? Like, no. There’s somebody who plays my position, and that’s, behind LeBron, the best player of this era” – he added, referring to Stephen Curry.
“It doesn’t even make sense to me. I would never do something like that. I would’ve lost every year before I did that.”
Rumors of Lillard’s return to the Bay Area have circulated in the past. The Athletic recently reported that Lillard had explored the “dream scenario” of teaming up with Draymond Green.
On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers have missed the playoffs in the last two years after an eight-year streak of consistent postseason appearances, including a trip to the conference finals in 2019. In that year, the Warriors defeated them, although Kevin Durant interrupted the streak to recover from an injury.
Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016 didn’t sit well with many NBA fans and players, as it was seen as taking an easier path to the top. The Warriors had defeated Oklahoma 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals, and Durant chose to join an already stacked roster.
Lillard, for instance, has been clear that he didn’t particularly like that move.
“I’ve said this a lot of times before: I think Kevin Durant, obviously, he’s one of the greatest players of all time, but if I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t have made that move personally. I just feel like that’s a team they lost to. That’s not something I would do. Everyone’s situation is different, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do” – he added.