Right now everyone is wondering if and when Damian Lillard will leave the Portland Trail Blazers.
Everyone knows that he wants to depart from the only team he’s ever played for.
They also know he wants to head to the Miami Heat.
But they just don’t know if that will actually happen.
Inside reports claim that Lillard believes he has the best chance of winning a championship with the Heat.
A resurfaced quote from his appearance on “The Old Man & The Three” podcast, via Vice City Alerts, highlights just how important that is for him.
“Winning the ring is like the ultimate level of success,” Lillard said on the podcast.
He went on:
“I don’t think I would go crazy if I didn’t, but like I really want to win a ring. And the thing that I always come back to is, I feel like I’ve checked the box on everything that makes me feel like if I was done today, I’ve had a successful career because I’d be fulfilled because I haven’t taken any shortcuts.”
Damian Lillard:
“Winning the ring is like the ultimate level of success. And I always think about it like how you said, like, you wrestle with that, like, I always think about it like, man, but like, I really do want to win. And I don’t think I would go crazy if I didn’t, but… pic.twitter.com/WQ5y9MMSoS
— Vice City Alerts (@ViceCityAlerts) August 3, 2023
This quote has something for those praising Lillard, as well as those criticizing him.
He is honest about his desire to win a championship ring, which isn’t surprising since all NBA players strive to do that.
However, the closing sentence in that quote about Lillard not taking any shortcuts to find his success will not sit well with many.
They believe that his leaving the Blazers for the Heat is the definition of a shortcut.
He feels that Portland doesn’t have what it takes to win the Finals so he is going to leave for a team that does.
Some people will say this shows a lack of loyalty from Lillard and that he is solely chasing a ring.
But others will point out that he has stuck it out with the Blazers for years now and is only leaving after many seasons of missed opportunities.
Many will question if Lillard’s move to Miami is ring-chasing or not but the bigger question is this: will it get him the result that he wants?
NEXT: Blazers Reporter Explains The Importance Of Completing A Damian Lillard Trade
