Even amidst trade rumors, John Hollinger thinks Damian Lillard won’t avoid the Portland Trail Blazers‘ games. This is a massive contrast to James Harden threatening to sit out Philadelphia 76ers games because of his accusations against Daryl Morey.
Will Damian Lillard Avoid Blazers Games?
The first sign that Lillard will try to play for his team is his recent response to the trade rumors and the comparison with Harden. The seven-time All-Star claims he won’t sacrifice his values just to get what he wants.
Furthermore, The Athletic’s Hollinger claims in their article that the superstar won’t sit out games. However, he won’t play at his best, which is understandable.
The player has been thinking of moving for a while and would understandably lose motivation to play.
“He might keep the throttle at 75 percent and sit out games when he’s dinged up and otherwise might have played, but I don’t think he’s wired to just go into full eff-you mode against the Blazers.”
John Hollinger
The columnist doesn’t think the point guard will sit out any training games nor openly “mail” out future games.
He’s a man of values (or so Lillard says.) Time will tell if he’ll continue to uphold that image of himself.
Additionally, there’s still the risk of taking on an expensive player like the Blazers’ guard when he’s only cited interest in the Miami Heat.
Teams that are interested in him will have to weigh the option of taking on a four-year $176,000,000 deal with a two-year extension of $122,000,000, with about $216,000,000 remaining.
Teams will surely have to ask themselves, “Is it worth a 33-year-old player who might not be willing to stay?”
James Harden Is Another Conversation
Hollinger posits that the 76er superstar will be someone to focus on once the season starts. The point guard has caused controversy in the community for a while now.
However, it’s hard to deny that the 34-year-old has skill. He boasts titles like 10-time All-Star, three-time Scoring Champ, seven-time All-NBA participant, and more.
It’s safe to say the start of the ”23-’24 season will be a bang.
Are you more excited about Harden’s drama or Lillard’s trade?
