Damian Lillard is among very few players in an era of superteams who has chosen to go his own way, staying faithful to the Portland Trail Blazers, even after being surrounded by constant speculation offseason after offseason.
The 6-foot-3 guard told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports he's not willing to change his trajectory, basking in the work it takes to win a championship, but not willing to trade his camaraderie for hardware:
“I don't want to take my position for granted,” said Damian Lillard. “I think it could be worse, I could be in worse situations where I'm not valued the way I am. Obviously we all play to win a championship. I want to win a championship. I compete to win a championship. But I've learned that it is about many other things.”
"I'm not willing to sell myself out for (championships)"@Dame_Lillard on why he hasn't left Portland.
The @Trailblazers All-Star joined @ChrisBHaynes on the latest episode of Posted Up… You DO NOT want to miss this!
➡️https://t.co/Kq6uHbx3hS pic.twitter.com/MxHIqF3vmp
— Yahoo Sports NBA (@YahooSportsNBA) February 19, 2019
Damian Lillard then explained that pursuing a championship by leaving a team or suggesting a trade within the team could have endless ramifications, including trades and waivers that could take place after his departure.
The Oakland native is clearly seeing the big picture and hasn't narrowed his focus into his own benefit, but rather chosen to live with the outcome of his destiny and looking back to the body of work he has put in to reach his championship goal, whether he falls short or not:
“I do want to win a championship, but there is other stuff that means more to me,” said Lillard. “It's almost like I'm not willing to sell myself out for that instead of impacting this.”
Every man has a different set of priorities, and Lillard has made his very clear. Barring a change in management's hearts, Damian Lillard will stick it out in Portland, no matter what opportunities come along for his future.
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