John Canzano On Dame Trade: The Lillard-Blazers Era Should Have Been So Much More
By 750 The Game Staff
John Canzano delivers the Bald Faced Truth afternoons 3-6 p.m. on 750 The Game, listen live here.
First, Canzano penned some initial thoughts on JohnCanzano.com reacting to the news of the Trail Blazers trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Dame will pair alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in search of Lillard’s first NBA championship.
Wrote Canzano:
Before everyone scatters, one truth — the Lillard era should have been so much more. More fun. More winning. More playoff confetti. That it fell short on those fronts goes down as one of the biggest misfires in franchise history.
The Miami Heat were long thought to be the landing spot for Lillard, before the Toronto Raptors made a late push, and Milwaukee ultimately getting the deal done. The trade is a three-team deal in totality that includes the Phoenix Suns.
Continued Canzano:
Blazers’ general manager Joe Cronin may not be done. But it’s not a bad trade at face value for the Blazers. Better than what Miami was offering. And it avoids an uncomfortable scene at the team’s upcoming media day and skips the soap opera that would have clouded Portland’s training camp.
Trail Blazers media day is Monday, Oct. 2nd with training camp commencing that week in Santa Barbara, Calif. Lillard, we know now, won’t be present.
As for how Lillard will welcome the move to the Midwest instead of South Beach as he so publicly desired?
Lillard asked for a trade. He demanded Miami. The Blazers sent him to Milwaukee instead. On social media Lillard wrote: “Excited for my next chapter!” But I wonder if he pumped a fist or threw his duffle bag across the room. This whole thing started with Lillard’s suitcase thinking “swim trunks” but ended with “parka.”
Now, the eyes of the basketball world will be on Lillard and Giannis in their pursuit of being the latest “super-team” to vie for an NBA title.
Says Canzano:
The Bucks and Giannis give us an opportunity to see what might have been with Lillard. Because with stronger ownership and better management it could have Portland — not Milwaukee — who went all-in years ago on a trade for a perennial All-Star.
John Canzano delivers the Bald Faced Truth afternoons 3-6 p.m. on 750 The Game.
Read Canzano’s full column here.