Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is still chasing for his first NBA championship. The window isn’t as big as it used to be for the 34-year-old guard, but he’s still got a good chance of finally winning a ring, as he’s now with a legitimate and perennial title contender. However, Lillard believes he would have already been an NBA champion if LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t leave the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lillard was a recent guest on the Club 520 Podcast, where he said that Aldridge’s departure severely hindered Portland’s goal of winning a title during his time with the Blazers (h/t HoopsHype).
If [Lamarcus Aldridge] would have never went to San Antonio, we would have won at least once already. I would have came into my own but he was that good.
After playing his first nine seasons in the NBA with the Blazers, Aldridge left Lillard and Portland for the San Antonio Spurs, who inked the big man to a four-year deal worth $84.1 million in the summer of 2015. Aldridge, selected second overall by the Blazers at the 2006 NBA Draft, averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds with Portland.
Lillard the Blazers continued to be competitive in the yeast after Aldridge’s departure, even reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2019 but got swept in that series by the Golden State Warriors.
Those are all behind Lillard now. The main focus right now for the future Hall of Famer is helping the Bucks bring home a title.
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