Milwaukee Bucks news: Not too many folks saw it coming. Damian Lillard was seen as a loyal servant to the Portland Trail Blazers — perhaps one of the few remaining in the NBA.
It all changed a couple of months ago when the seven-time All-Star declared his desire to leave Portland.
Damian Lillard Holds Some Regret
What followed was pretty much a whirlwind for both Lillard and the Blazers. It became a messy divorce with Portland’s front office even denying Dame’s request to rescind his trade demand after his move to the Miami Heat fell through.
While he admits that he probably would not have done things any differently, Lillard also said that he does hold some regret with how it all went down:
“Just looking back on it, I don’t think it’s anything that I would’ve done differently,” he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I wish during that time the communication was just better so there would’ve been less misunderstandings. I felt really misunderstood in the process. I don’t know if it was something that I could have done differently. I’m just happy that I ended up in a situation that fit me. We got a great opportunity to win. I’m playing with a great player on a deep roster in another small market where it’s family-oriented.”
I’m pretty sure the Portland faithful feel the same way. That’s all water under the bridge now, though, and truthfully, this won’t change how the fans view Lillard as a Blazers legend.
Dame Finds New Home With Milwaukee Bucks
As they always say, all good things come to an end. Now, Lillard gets to turn a new chapter in his career — one that he hopes will result in his first-ever championship.
Dame says that despite everything he’s been through, he couldn’t be happier with where he ended up:
“It is a humble environment. It is relaxed,” he said. “An [assistant] coach I played for [in former Blazers head coach] Terry [Stotts] my first nine years. We got someone in the training room that I’ve worked with for the last five years, [head athletic trainer] Jess Cohen. Familiar faces. I played with Robin [Lopez]. I played with Pat [Connaughton]. I’m just happy that it ended in a situation where I could walk into something that suits me. I’m going to have an opportunity to accomplish what I ultimately want to accomplish and it’s an environment that I feel comfortable in right away.”
Will Damian Lillard achieve his lofty ambitions with the Bucks? We shall soon find out.
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