The Portland Trail Blazers have failed to surround Damian Lillard with the players he needs to pursue an NBA championship.
He was loyal to them through thick and thin, snubbing multiple recruiting attempts from other superstars, but enough is enough.
Lillard now wants out of Portland and only wants to be traded to the Miami Heat.
That’s why former NFL player Emmanuel Acho believes he should be more open-minded.
.@EmmanuelAcho: Dame Lillard should be more open-minded. pic.twitter.com/J324BiEPLH
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) July 6, 2023
Acho explained that players forcing their way to a team via trade rarely works out, mostly because they think they know better than the GM what it would take to get them.
He cited James Harden as an example of a player who’s constantly asking out and then failing to win a championship, whereas guys like Kevin Durant or LeBron James find success because they leave in free agency.
Simply put, Acho seems to believe that Lillard is now stuck in Portland because he stayed too long, or he should be open-minded about other potential destinations away from South Beach.
Truth be told, the Heat don’t have the assets it would normally take to pull off a deal for Lillard, and players handpicking their trade destinations doesn’t seem right.
Small market teams have it hard enough already with their struggles in free agency, and they might not be able to keep their homegrown talents either.
On the other hand, it also feels like the Blazers should do right by one of the greatest players to ever wear their threads, but this is a ruthless business.
NEXT: Damian Lillard Sounds Off On Social Media Amid Trade Rumors
