On November 4, Beijing time, according to the famous Chris Hayes, Blazers star Lillard once went to James' home for a meeting in the offseason, and after 90 minutes of exchanges, Lillard finally concluded that he was not ready to join a "super team" like the Lakers.
Lillard has been loyal to the team since he was drafted by the Blazers in 2012, but that doesn't mean he's outright opposed to thinking differently about his career. In June, Lillard met James on the sidelines of a WNBA game, and that night, Lillard went to James' home in Brentwood, where the two had a face-to-face meeting.
According to Lillard himself, to Hayes, their conversation revolved around Lillard's situation in Portland. At the time, there were already rumors that Lillard was considering leaving Portland.
"Brown (James) asked me what I thought of my situation and I told him, like I'm telling you right now, I want to win everything there." Lillard told Hayes, "He painted a picture for me of what would happen if I chose to leave. He didn't just ask me to go to Los Angeles, he just described the possible scenarios, but there was nothing I didn't know. I told him, 'I know if I play with you guys, considering my technical characteristics, everything will work,' and I know who I am and who they are. ”
The meeting lasted 90 minutes, and in the end, the All-Star guard came to the conclusion that he wasn't ready to join a "super team" like the Lakers. "I just said, 'I don't know if this is the path I want to go,' and that's basically what we were talking about."
Perhaps, Lillard will eventually decide to leave Portland, but at least for now, he wants to continue playing in the city. He had dozens of family members in Portland, and he was beginning to forge strong ties with Billups, knowing that moving elsewhere could affect those closest to him.
Of course, for Lillard, getting out of the current shooting downturn is the most urgent thing. In seven games since the beginning of the season, Lillard has averaged 18.6 points, 4 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game, shooting 34.9% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range.