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[Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:24 pm
by OrangeBlueSkies
The day before Lillard was to shoot his music video, he made a surprise appearance at a WNBA game, featuring the Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces. Upon arriving, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was already sitting courtside. On the way to his seat, James stood up to acknowledge his “Space Jam: A New Legacy” cast member. The two shook hands and exchanged a laugh. Later that evening, James sent Lillard an invitation to his mansion in Brentwood. “He was like, ‘Pull up. Let’s have lunch to talk shop,’ ” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “So I pulled up.”
Lillard’s future in Portland was in the balance at this point. He bled Rip City, but he was weighing all of his options. Through the years, James hasn’t been shy — publicly and privately — in relaying how thrilling it would be to share the same jersey as the Oakland native. The 6-foot-3 guard caught an Uber from his hotel to James’ house. After security opened the gate for the vehicle to enter the property, Lillard was met at the door by a house staffer who escorted him through the living room and into the elevator. The destination was the rooftop.
When the elevator reached the top floor, James and fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis were sitting on one side of a table waiting for Lillard to join them on the other side. Before they fully dove into lunch of an Italian salad followed by pasta and a fine bottle of rosé wine, James kicked off the conversation, detailing his experience living in Los Angeles. Lillard did not categorize the meeting as a platform for a recruiting presentation, but rather an information-gathering forum among respected peers. “’Bron asked what I was thinking with my situation, and I told him what I’m telling you: that I just want to be in a position to win it all,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “He painted the picture to me that if I were to leave, the situation could look like this. He didn’t tell me to come to L.A., and he didn’t say anything to me that I didn’t already know other than what it could look like. I told him, ‘I know if I were to play with y’all, I know it would work out because of my skill set,’ and who I am and who they are.”
They all addressed their respective first-round losses, and what each team needed to improve its roster. Davis explained his transition to Southern California. Lillard expressed his hesitancy to join any iteration of a super-team. “I was just saying, I don’t know if this is the route I wanted to go,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “And that was pretty much how the conversation went.” The meeting lasted for an hour and a half. Lillard promised to keep them posted on what he decided to do, but the Lakers were already privately evaluating their options on potentially landing Lillard, sources said.
While Lillard waited for his Uber, James showed him the rest of the house and around the backyard. The Uber showed up after 20 or so minutes and whisked Lillard away. This much was clear: There was no way Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey would ever trade Lillard to the Lakers. Though joining the Lakers wasn’t at the top of his list, that Lillard took the meeting with James showed how much he respected the four-time NBA champion and how much he was receptive to the idea of trying something new.
“The whole time I knew I was a Trail Blazer, but obviously coming off that playoff loss, I was like, ‘We got to do something to show we’re actually trying to win it,’ ” Lillard told Yahoo Sports of his conversation with management. “There are so many teams in the league where some want to tank; some teams just want to be a playoff team and see if they can make things interesting; and then there are a few teams with the mindset of winning a championship.
“So for me, I was in that position where I was wondering if we’re actually trying to win a championship. I want to be a part of something where winning a title is everybody’s mission. I was asking my team, ‘Is that what we’re really trying to do? What are we doing to show that’s what we really want?’ Those were my questions, and I presented them that way. Like, ‘What are we doing? How are we honestly saying we want to win it all? What steps are we taking?’ I just had a decision to make.”
Lillard recalls paying attention to The Greek Freak’s every move when the confetti began pouring from the rafters. It helped reconfirm his initial desire. “Usually when people win championships and start getting all emotional, I’m always wondering if they’re really moved like that,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “Is that real emotions? Does he really feel like that? Because I’ve been in big moments and people would expect me to be emotional and I’m not. So I question the authenticity of how emotional they are in some situations. –
“But when I watched Giannis, he was really looking around like, ‘Damn, what if I really left Milwaukee? This was worth it.’ So for me, I put myself in his shoes. Sometimes it seems like this is impossible and it’s never going to happen, and I’m sure he was there before, too. “If I was to get that championship for Portland, I would cry, bruh. Bruh, on the spot. I would really cry, bro. I want to win a championship here. And because of how strongly I feel about that, I don’t know how rewarding it would feel for me at this point if I won somewhere else. Winning it here would be a lifetime achievement for me“
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:27 pm
by pacers33
this rumor is part of a storyline is where i stopped reading personally
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:29 pm
by Danny1616
The problem is how do the Blazers surround him with adequate talent.
Giannis a legit MVP caliber player with a freakish body and he's arguably the best defensive player in the league. Dame in my opinion is a top 10 player but he isn't necessarily MVP caliber.
I just don't see the Blazers with a chance of making it past the 2nd round unless they somehow trade for another legit top 10 NBA player.
It's tough, I respect his loyalty.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:32 pm
by art_tatum
Lol wtf this paints LeBron as the dark side of Lillard's thoughts while Giannis the light.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:37 pm
by OrangeBlueSkies
pacers33 wrote:this rumor is part of a storyline is where i stopped reading personally
Thanks unfortunately nobody asked.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:38 pm
by sip
I love Lillards game but this bitching about doing what it takes to win a title is just annoying. The blazers are constantly making moves to try and take that next step but they have had injury issues or players just under perform. Last year they made moves for Covington and Powell. Both guys were key additions. Unfortunately Covington didn't live up to expectations but everyone loved the move at the time. Then of course you have his insane salary that is going to put them in a tough position going forward. All these guys bitch about wanting to win but in the end the only guy that ever put his money where his mouth is has been Tom Brady who has always taken less money to allow his team to add or re-sign key players.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:42 pm
by NyKnicks1714
OrangeBlueSkies wrote:pacers33 wrote:this rumor is part of a storyline is where i stopped reading personally
Thanks unfortunately nobody asked.
Nobody asked you to start a thread about how two friends hung out a few months ago, but here we are.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:43 pm
by OrangeBlueSkies
NyKnicks1714 wrote:OrangeBlueSkies wrote:pacers33 wrote:this rumor is part of a storyline is where i stopped reading personally
Thanks unfortunately nobody asked.
Nobody asked you to start a thread about how two friends hung out a few months ago, but here we are.
No one asked you to join the thread, yet here you are.
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 9:46 pm
by OrangeBlueSkies
NyKnicks1714 wrote:OrangeBlueSkies wrote:pacers33 wrote:this rumor is part of a storyline is where i stopped reading personally
Thanks unfortunately nobody asked.
Nobody asked you to start a thread about how two friends hung out a few months ago, but here we are.
This is inappropriate. -b
Re: Damian Lillard Met With Lebron This Offseaseon
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:00 pm
by theFireBlanket
art_tatum wrote:Lol wtf this paints LeBron as the dark side of Lillard's thoughts while Giannis the light.
You know LeBron & AD went after Giannis the off-season prior to this? Lillard worked out with Giannis last summer. So he knows that for sure.
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:07 pm
by CntOutSmrtCrazy
How many top 75 players Lebron got to play with over the course of his career for him to think he's had enough help?
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:09 pm
by Dzon Dilindzer
thread title sounds like lillard wanted to join los angeles lakers and neil olshey refused to trade him and still does lol
just publish the entire interview and not just the "lebron-davis-lakers" part, as people can get the wrong picture
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:10 pm
by Marrrcuss
CntOutSmrtCrazy wrote:How many top 75 players Lebron got to play with over the course of his career for him to think he's had enough help?
Surely theres another angle the non-creative Anti-Brons can take.
That one is so lame
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:16 pm
by CntOutSmrtCrazy
Marrrcuss wrote:CntOutSmrtCrazy wrote:How many top 75 players Lebron got to play with over the course of his career for him to think he's had enough help?
Surely theres another angle the non-creative Anti-Brons can take.
That one is so lame
Oh lighten up, Lebron will live without you defending his virtue.
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:18 pm
by bisme37
Hey everyone let's please keep the thread on topic and stop ratcheting up this apparent argument about who asked whom to do what.
If you think a thread is inappropriate please flag it for moderator review. If you just don't personally like it or are not interested in the topic, simply comment on something else. Thanks.
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:19 pm
by Dzon Dilindzer
lebron and davis were recruiting dame and dame told them to **** off
you love to see it
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:30 pm
by SlovenianDragon
bisme37 wrote:Hey everyone let's please keep the thread on topic and stop ratcheting up this apparent argument about who asked whom to do what. Thanks.
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:31 pm
by heezyo2o
Since a trade is basically impossible, it's just some friends enjoying lunch and talking basketball.
Interesting that Dame compares himself to Giannis since the Bucks have been expected to come out of the east for awhile and no one has really expected the Blazers to get to the finals
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:37 pm
by Dr Aki
Re: [Haynes]: Lillard Met With LeBron, AD This Off-season; Neil Oshley Refuses to Trade Dame To LAL
Posted: Wed Nov 3, 2021 10:39 pm
by Statlanta
LeBron and AD should've just went after DeMar. He wanted to go to LA and there was less resistance vs. the assets they gave up for Westy and the posturing for Buddy Hield.