Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard thought he was traded to New York
A few years back, Portland Trail Blazers All-Star point guard thought he had been traded to the New York Knicks. Thankfully, it never happened.
It’s hard for Portland Trail Blazers fans to envision Damian Lillard in any other NBA colors than the Rip City black, red, and white. According to the four-time All-NBA point guard, it almost happened. At one time, Lillard thought he was going to the bright lights of Broadway and Madison Square Garden.
Lillard has been everything the Portland Trail Blazers could have wanted and more when they selected the Oakland native sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Generally, players who stay at college for four years are thought of negatively by NBA scouts. Not so for the man also known as Dame D.O.L.L.A, who has thrived in since arriving in Portland.
In seven seasons with the Blazers, Lillard has averaged 24.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.1 percent from behind the three-point arc. Before play stopped, due to COVID-19, 2019–20 was shaping up to be his best year yet. Those same numbers during the current season were 28.9. 7.9, 4.3, and 39.4.
Almost a Knick
During an interview Lillard did with Lisa Robinson, in the most recent edition of Vanity Fair magazine, the Blazers star opened up about many topics. He spoke about the NBA’s 22-team plan to return to action this summer, current racial unrest in the country, and especially, his Hip-Hop music career.
His admission that he thought the Portland Trail Blazers traded him to New York was surprising. Lillard grew up as a Knicks fan. In the past, he has expressed his reverence for playing at Madison Square Garden. At one point, it was almost a reality. The former 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the year told Robinson:
“I thought I was headed there a few years ago; I was hearing trade rumors. The Garden is my favorite place to play.”
He has to be referring to the summer of 2018. It frustrated Lillard that other star NBA players didn’t want to be part of the Portland Trail Blazers. At the time, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith reported that although Lillard’s preference was to stay in Rip City, he was open to a trade to either the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks. A deal must have been closer to fruition than previously speculated.
Portland fans are happy the situation never went that far. Damian Lillard is the engine that makes the Blazers go. Through his most recent contract extension, he will be with the team until the 2024–25 season. At only 29-years-old Lillard’s best seasons are ahead of him.