The Portland Trail Blazers shockingly committed to a rebuild when they traded star guard CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans. The core of McCollum and fellow sharpshooter Damian Lillard was seemingly close to winning a title, but the elusive championship always appeared to be just out of reach. As such, Lillard has had to deal with constant chatter about why he should leave Portland for greener grass throughout his career. That chatter has never been stronger than right now following the McCollum trade, which left the cupboard awfully bare in Portland besides Lillard. Blazers legend Clyde Drexler delivered a message to Lillard following the McCollum trade.
“I’m sure Lillard has gotta be thinking I gotta go somewhere to compete for a title unless he just wants to stay there and finish out his career, but if he is competitive I’m sure he is looking to go someplace to win,” Drexler said. “As a player, you have to make that adjustment and you have to make that decision real quick. Do I want to stay here and be beloved and maybe I don’t win a championship but they love you here in Portland? That wasn’t enough for me.”
First of all, Clyde Drexler makes a great point when he wonders what the Blazers are doing by trading CJ McCollum, a player still in his prime.
Drexler then went on to say that because of a move like the McCollum trade, someone like Damian Lillard, the franchise's undisputed star, has to decide if he wants to remain in Portland and be “beloved” but maybe not secure a title.
Lillard has seemingly gone the way of beloved franchise guy each and every time he was faced with a decision like this. However, the CJ McCollum trade may have been the breaking point for Damian Lillard's time in Portland.
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