Damian Lillard reunites with the Portland Trail Blazers on 3-Year, $42M Deal | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Damian Lillard reunites with the Portland Trail Blazers on 3-Year, $42M Deal | FIRST THINGS FIRST

in 11 years with the Blazers Brewers franchise leader in points and threes. So, we kicked around two ideas for this segment, your reaction to just Dame’s homecoming and how you think this will affect his former teammate Giannis. Well, look, obviously it’s a great story, him going back there. We know how much he loved it. It was hard for him to even leave. The fans are excited about him coming back. He was miserable for, you know, at risk of overstating it in Milwaukee. So, this is great in that regard. And a lot of people would say he could have went to the Lakers. Now remember, he’s going to probably miss maybe all of next season. I think that’s the plan. But let’s say you can point to teams Golden State, the Lakers, or you know, some of these contenders that maybe he could have gone to for less. You know, he doesn’t need a lot of money cuz Milwaukee still got to pay him and have a shot at winning a championship. But here’s the thing. While it’d be nice to see Dame win a championship and nice for him, it wouldn’t it’s not like he would be he wouldn’t be the first guy. He wouldn’t be the number two guy in many of these cases. Like with the Lakers, he wouldn’t be the number two guy. He’d probably be a third guy. So, you’re looking at like Gary Payton. It was great to see him get a ring. Jason Kid even, you know, he started and got that ring, but it didn’t really change their legacies because they were no longer the superstars and they weren’t leading the teams. So, I think that’s where Dame was. So, this look, it it’s a nice story. Basketball-wise, it’s very insignificant. Portland, while they do have some nice young talent, they got Drew Holiday. Um, in the West, they they’re not going to be anything, you know, significant. Well, not next year. And he’s going to miss next year. I think that Portland seems to be wanting to compete. Yes. You don’t trade for Drew Holland. Like I’m just basing that on the Drew Holiday. Drew Holiday is an older player now that he also I think they’re bringing him in because they have the investment in my guy Scoot and in Shaden Sharp and they’re like we want a true professional and they also with Kamar want to have a defensive identity with John. I get all that and letting go of Aiden like right and moving on from Exactly. Um so all of those things Klingan’s a defensive guy. So Got it. I wonder how they’ll look this year and then how we’ll feel about oh they’re dropping in a year from now Damen Lillard to that team and what not and can can they win which will be interesting right and I’m not talking about them like winning a championship but could they be back to what a lot of the dame Portland teams were like hey they’re going to be in the playoffs and in you know what I mean in the mix I think the West is even better now though I I agree but I guess the point would be a year from now, you know, who knows how things look exactly what the Warriors look like a full season from now. What the Lakers look like and the Clippers look like a full season from now. You know what I mean? And so I just I I think it is I agree with you entirely. It is an awesome story. I also think it’s not nothing basketball-wise. And the Blazers clearly don’t think it’s nothing basketball-wise because they’re not paying him the minimum. You know what I mean? They’re giving him the basically the full midlevel for three years knowing that year one he’s it’s basically to me a two-year $42 million deal. Yeah. Because you know what I mean cuz year one I mean they’re giving him way more than you would have than you would have to. And I I think it’s really I I’m very happy for Dame. But in the West, what are they this year? And here’s the thing. Let’s say we’re let’s say they play well this year. Yeah. And I mean some of their, you know, everybody on their team that’s got potential is not a guard, but if Scoot, I mean, I I’m kind of done with the Scoot might be a star type thing. But let’s say, let’s say he does well, like then you drop in Dame and it’s been Dame’s team for his entire career, you know, like it could be a bit awkward if depending on what happens this year. Sure. Like if the young guards really emerge and play really well, then We also now do have the young guards get to see how Drew Holiday conducts himself on a day-to-day basis and how Damen Lillard attacks rehab. And I actually think that’s smart. You know, I I think smart’s the wrong word. I think that’s useful. A good example. You know what I mean? Like it’s like, okay, we have two true one no doubt Hall of Famer and in the NBA I think Drew probably is going to get in. You know, another guy that’s close. How they conduct themselves, one when they’re playing, one when they’re not. You know what I and what to do. And I think there’s real value in that. I think we look around the teams that are just constantly either in chaos or underachieving. I think part of it’s because they’ve just been like, “Well, nothing but we don’t need any vets because we’re not trying to win. Just young, young, young, and then nobody knows what they’re doing. Nobody knows how to be a pro.” Guess the story out of Boston, even with with Tatum and Jaylen Brown was when Drew was there, the level went up in Horford like, “Oh, we have a champion here. Here’s how it works.” Um, can I talk about Giannis now? I’ve got a Giannis take that I think you will love because Brew, you always talk about um you use KG as an example of you know what, you stayed, you gave it your all, but once the team can’t really build around you, it’s time to go. And there are greener pastures literally in in the Garnett case. Not because it was a pasture, it’s because the Celtics wear green. Tim rules do too. Is that a green? Really? Go ahead. Sorry. Go ahead. In any event, Aqua, I feel like Dame is the counterbalance to your KG story where he just saw a guy. Giannis just saw a guy. Giannis just saw a guy come to his team. talk about, you know, you were being kind like saying he was miserable, but he he said he was going through some personal stuff and he would go back to his condo or whatever and watch boxing on YouTube. He was not happy. And we kicked around. You know what? I bet if he had the opportunity and he could get into a time machine, he would go back to Portland and not do that trade. And as soon as he’s available to do it, he does it. Also, secondary point again, Giannis at home watching the finals. Oh, SGA, best player in Oklahoma City. It’s not KD. It’s not Russ. I mean, Russ kind of left and KD left to get championships. But is that 20 years from now? Are we going to remember SGA as being like Mr. Oklahoma City? Reggie Miller. You go to those games. Oh, it’s Reggie Miller on the sidelines. Hero Reggie Miller. Look at all the Pacers who never even won. But Reggie Miller is an icon of that franchise. Even the Knicks in their run and bringing back guys as the Knicks. It’s a great point. Never won. A lot of those Knicks played for a ton of Yeah. still. Yeah. But Larry Johnson, Larry Johnson. Then the final thing, and I don’t know if Yiannis is looking at this, but it was the whole storyline that the these finals really came to a head because of Paul George that Paul George left the Pacers, so they were able to get guy, they were able to get Hallebertton when he leaves the Thunder. They’re able to get SGA. Paul George keeps on hunting thirsty for a ring and it’s not going to happen. So, if I’m Giannis, I like, you know what, bouncing around from towns isn’t necessarily going to work. I’m happy here. I just saw it not work with the guy that was on my team and if he could do it over again, he’d and he had the chance he would go back home and it’s decid it’s what he ended up doing. Do you buy it? It’s a cute take. Oh, come on, bro. That was a good take here. And I bet Nick agrees with me. Go. And look, if Giannis decides to stay he loves Milwaukee, I’m loyal. I’m not going to kill him. That’s fine. But he’s on a different as great as Dame is, and Dame’s a first ballot hall of famer, top 75. He’s a different level. Like Giannis is in that top 15ish range. And if he can win more championships, he could possibly get in the top 10 discussion. Yes. And so, and he’s 30 years old. Dame was 33 when he left. So, I just think like if Dame Dame will never win a championship. I’m I’m saying that now. He will never win a championship. It’s not really going to change his legacy. He, you know, but Giannis, more championships changes his legacy. And I also think going into the future if you know when Giannis is 45 50 years old and the Bucks are in the finals they would still bring back Giannis like he would still be Mr. Buck because he did give him a dozen years and led him to a championship their first since Lu Al Cinder. So I I just think it’s different levels and that’s why I think it’s different for Yiannis. I I think I agree with Brew in that I will not Giannis has more than earned the right obviously to do whatever he truly wants and I think it is I don’t think he knows yet because I think he’s weighing a bunch of stuff and so I think that’s why he was kind of caught off guard by Speed’s question to him because I really don’t think he knows. I think part of the urgency for Giannis in the leave direction is he’s smart enough to know, man, we really don’t have a path right in the next, just call it three years. Maybe we can, you know, maybe we can get some picks back or do whatever to where we do, but he also probably knows how many more years do I have where there’s an argument I’m the best player in basketball. You know what I And right like there’s still an there you ask a 100 NBA fans right now who’s the best player in the league is at least 10 are going to say Giannis sure you know what I mean like he’s still in the receiving votes and he’s consensus top three consensus it that time while he might have 10 years left in the league he doesn’t have 10 years left at that level of impact you know what I mean and so like there was the a sense of to me Giannis right now and I know it’s not the same emotional ties. He feels similar in a spot as LeBron at the end of Miami where it was well I could wait now. LeBron had a bunch more years left at that crazy high level, but he’s a different guy. LeBron was 31 or I don’t know how 30 30 years old at the end of Miami, what however old he was and knew like, okay, Wade is in a different spot. Bosch is on the down tick. we have gone kind of all in on this thing. We might be able to build it back up, but it’s going to take some time. I don’t want to wait. You know what I mean? Like I want to win right now, this moment. And bounced. But LeBron was LeBron was patient about that. Like that was different. LeBron the two rings obviously got the monkey off LeBron’s back. And then remember when he went to Cleveland, he was saying in his essay, I know we’re not going to win right away. and and they kind of surprised some people by getting to the finals. He went back to I mean I understand you made a perfect argument. I thought he actually supported my argument that he went going back to Cleveland. He’s like, you know what’s good? The place where I was, the place where I’m from, the place where I’m beloved. Well, that was to get that get them a ring. I totally get it, but he could have g he could have gone other places. Yeah. Here’s the other thing, though. And and Dame, it appears, was pretty miserable right away in Milwaukee. But what if they had won? Like that’s the thing. Giannis, I think wherever he goes, they will win a championship. So if would Dame feel this way if it had worked in Milwaukee? Well, I don’t know. I mean, there’s Yeah. So, that’s the thing. Maybe there was a there was a lot of personal life stuff. Real life stuff. was kind of Yeah. No, it was

Nick Wright, Kevin Wildes, and Chris Broussard react to Damian Lillard reuniting with the Portland Trail Blazers on a 3-year, $42 million deal. The crew discusses what this means for Dame’s legacy, the Blazers’ direction, and whether this reunion can lead to real success in the West.

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Damian Lillard reunites with the Portland Trail Blazers on 3-Year, $42M Deal | FIRST THINGS FIRST
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