Damian Lillard is as determined as ever to carve out the rest of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, as he demonstrated through a busy summer of 2018, when rumors of a potential partnership with LeBron James picked up spark right before he quickly put them out.
Prompted with the same hypothetical situation, Lillard complimented the Los Angeles Lakers forward before giving a quick “thanks, but no thanks” regarding a potential partnership with him.
“I love where I am,” Lillard told Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report. “I play for a great organization. I'm not looking for nothing. I think we'd complement each other well, but the only way that ever happens is if my team decides they don't want me no more. I'm trying to build something here.”
Lillard has been unequivocal in his crusade to make Portland his city, and the lack of a clear championship opportunity hasn't deterred him, despite the clear path that teaming up with James could bring.
While players have flocked to LeBron James in the past, the case is no longer as appealing anymore, given how the Akron native is approaching 34 years of age and is bound to have his own fight with Father Time before it's time to walk the end of the road.
Kyrie Irving's departure was a big eye-opener for other stars, as it reflected how much of a deterrent James can be to a player's career.
While Lillard's reasons are completely different from these, the trend remains the same, as LeBron James tries to navigate the season without a clear partner-in-crime.
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