All good things in life eventually run their course and must come to an end. Professional sports and the athletes who play the games we love are not exempt from this rule. We might be witnessing the beginning of the end in Portland for Damian Lillard and the Blazers. Some would tell you it’s been over for some time, but after the tweet Dame posted in response to certain fans wanting to trade him away, it seems like he’s finally fed up with at least a portion of the fan base.
“If the fans want to trade me … start the petition and send it in (shoulder shrug emoji),” Dame Time said in a quote tweet.
The relationship between Lillard, the organization, and the city of Portland feels like it has been on the ropes for a couple of years. The team had gone as far as they could, with Dame and C.J. McCollum leading the way. Since reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2019, Portland hasn’t advanced past the first round of the postseason and has failed to qualify the past two years.
Somehow, it’s all Lillard’s fault in some people’s eyes, although he’s always seemed to love the franchise and city. Many would say Dame Dolla has been loyal to a fault and should want to exit the Pacific Northwest to play for a true title contender. But he’s stayed down for the Blazers and their fans, who finally seem ready to move on.
After sticking with the team this long and shooting down every analyst or writer who said he should’ve left years ago, it’s easy to see how this sudden flip by fans could lead to him lashing out. Maybe that was just how Lillard felt in the moment, but it feels like he’s growing tired of the constant criticism from the people he stayed around to try and bring a championship home to.