By Dominic Fisher
In the NBA, there are and were many very talented athletes. Three current players that are in the conversation of being the best right now are Lebron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. In the past, there were players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal who dominated the league. I am not saying that these are the only good players within the league but these players all have something in common. This being that the organization they played for either found assets to help their superstar (like the Cavaliers adding Kyrie Irving to the roster to play alongside Lebron James) or let the superstar be traded knowing they can perform greatly on another team. However, some superstars are not this lucky and are forced to play with the team on their back to win.
One player who will be seen as a wasted talent, if something doesn’t change soon, is Damian Lillard who plays for the Portland Trailblazers. Lillard is magnificent, last season he averaged about 22 points and 9.5 assists per game. Lillard has played for this team for nine seasons and has been an All-Star for six seasons. Lillard has made countless clutch field goals to beat the buzzer and win for his team. However, they have never made it to the NBA Finals and they are never in the conversation of being a championship team, only a good team. You are probably wondering why someone this talented is struggling to make it to the finals and win a championship? This is because of the team that the owners and managers of the Portland Trailblazers have built around him.
The Portland Trailblazers recognized the talent that Damian Lillard brought to the team but have yet to find someone to play alongside him who can help him improve. CJ McCollum, who was drafted by the Trailblazers in 2013 to play alongside Lillard, is a very talented player but in my opinion and many others opinions does not compliment Lillard; McCollum plays the game similar to Lillard which is that of a shooter, a shot taker. Now although there are positives of having a strong offense, defense is very important in the NBA, which is something this team lacks. There are no players that step up to the plate when the going gets tough and this becomes a problem in the playoffs. There have been countless games where the team is reliant on Lillard to make a big time play, like a winning shot, but he is only human so he does miss occasionally.
Damian Lillard is a superstar and a fan favorite by many and we want to see him succeed, but he has not received the supporting cast he deserves. I believe if the Trailblazers do not make a change in the roster soon, then Damian Lillard will leave Portland and join a team that will help him get the championship he deserves.
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