Steven A Smith isn’t sure Damian Lillard will leave the Trail Blazers but says if he does request a trade, the New York Knicks will be the target.
Damian Lillard’s future with the Trail Blazers is still very much up in the air. Will he stick around and work it out? Will he request a trade?
Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s The Jump thinks he knows where Lillard will land if he does leave Portland.
“If Damian Lillard wants out of Portland, and I’m not sure he does yet, his No. 1 choice is going to be the New York Knicks,” Smith said.
Smith also addressed the ownership and decision-makers in New York.
“I don’t want to hear cap space and picks. You give Portland what the hell they ask for if Damian Lillard is available to come,” Smith said.
Stephen A. Smith is trying to manifest Damian Lillard to the Knicks
The juicy line there is the idea of Lillard targeting New York as his ideal destination. Of course, the key line has to do with Lillard wanting to stay with the Blazers. He’s not going to the Knicks if Portland makes him happy.
Lillard has carried the Blazers on his back for years. The crux of his frustration is with the franchise’s willingness to invest in the pieces that will make a championship run possible.
There are still a handful of options on the table. One, Lillard opts to stay put. Two, Lillard gets traded to the Knicks. Three, Lillard gets traded to another NBA team.
Realistically, the chances of Lillard becoming available are still low. The probability of a deal between New York and Portland getting done is even lower.
Then again, there’s a chance, even if it’s small. That’s what has Knicks fans like Stephen A on the edge of their seats.