After years of repeating that loyalty was a cardinal value for him, and that NBA players were judged too much by their number of titles, Damian Lillard has visibly evolved on these issues.
Asked by Andscape during his Formula Zero Elite Camp, the (always) leader of the Blazers confirmed, lip service, to have requested a transfer to Portland. But he doesn’t want a James Harden-style showdown.
“It is higher than it has ever been” he replies on his desire to win the title. “When you’re young and you win, you realize you have the time. When you make your place in the league and know that you are here to stay, it feels like you have time. The older you get, the more time you’ve put into it, especially when you’re at the top of the game and achieving all these individual feats, the more priority it becomes to achieve the ultimate feat, which is the raison d’être of this game, winning the championship. »
Obviously, at 33, Damian Lillard now only thinks of winning the Larry O’Brien trophy.
“The desire to get it is as strong today as it will ever be. This is literally the most important thing on my list. When I wake up and I have to do everything I have to do… I have to work out, I have to make time for my kids, I still have to weight training, I have to do all these things and I have to making sure that training and preparation is always my priority. Even being a father of three children, not just one, and having all these other responsibilities, it takes something close to your heart to stay committed as I have been. This is the highest possible level. This is ultimately what I want to live. »
A speech a bit different from the one he held when he explained that we “devalued the work of players who do not win the title” in the NBA since he admits that it is ultimately the validation of all this work.
As for the fact that his transfer request clashes with his recent talk of the importance of loyalty, Damian Lillard explains that his loyalty is first to himself.
“If you look at the story of my loyalty speech, I always said I was loyal to who I was and would always do what I thought was the right thing to do”concludes Damian Lillard. “Everything has to be aligned with my vision. It is a priority for me. It must be so. Everything has to be connected and it has to mean the same to me and everyone in it. That’s what I’m loyal to.”
Today, his vision sticks to that of Miami, which he would therefore like to join as a priority. The problem is that the discussions are not progressing, Pat Riley’s offers have not convinced the leaders of Oregon.
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2012-13 | ORP | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2013-14 | ORP | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | ORP | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | ORP | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | ORP | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | ORP | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | ORP | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | ORP | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | ORP | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | ORP | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | ORP | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| Total | 769 | 36 | 43.9 | 37.2 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
