Photo: Steph Chambers
Doug Gottlieb on the NBA offseason: “You’re still hearing ‘WHAT ABOUT DAMIAN LILLARD?? DAMIAN LILLARD NEEDS TO GET OUT OF PORTLAND AND WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP TO SOLIDIFY HIS LEGACY!’… What’s his legacy…? We make him out like he’s Charles Barkley—all-time great player, and stuck with a bad team. He had statistically a very good season this year. He’s a prolific shooter, he’s an outstanding scorer, and he’s a pretty good passer. The amount of conversation around Damian Lillard and Portland, one would think he’s a superstar. I think he’s a ‘star’, and because he raps, because he’s a great dude, because he has an Adidas deal, because he had the ‘Dame Time’, and hit the deep-three against Oklahoma City and won that series, there is a lore to him that far exceeds the actual substance to him. Joel Embiid was the MVP of the league, he hadn’t done anything in the playoffs but everyone would take Embiid before Damian Lillard. Giannis, Steph has dominated him in individual matchups in the playoffs. Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Jokic is a two-time MVP, Anthony Davis is a dynamic player… You go through it and be reasonable, and you’re like he’s really, really good, but he’s not a top 10 player in the NBA. Everyone would rather have Luka than him. He’s a good, not great passer. He’s a great shooter but he’s not Steph Curry. Yeah, he averaged 32 a game and they didn’t win anything. Every bad team has a leading scorer. Kawhi Leonard is a better player and it’s not even close. For some reason we act like it’s going to be some travesty if he finishes career without competing for and winning an NBA title when he’s not top 5 or top 10.” (Full Audio Above)
Listen to Doug Gottlieb of Fox Sports Radio discuss Damian Lillard’s part in NBA offseason rumors, as Gottlieb wonders why Lillard’s name is always repeatedly tied to ‘stars chasing championship’ storylines when Gottlieb doesn’t believe Lillard is good enough to warrant such implied respect and admiration.
Check out the segment above as Gottlieb explains why we need to stop discussing Lillard’s ‘legacy’ and framing the discussion like he’s some sort of all-time great player.
Jason Whitlock: The 'Race Card' is Why Adam Silver Refused to Give Ja Morant Steeper Suspension
Colin Cowherd Ranks the Top 10 'Big 3' Trios in the NBA
Ric Bucher Pushes Back on Suns as Title Contenders After Bradley Beal Trade
Ray Lewis III's Cause of Death is Revealed
Deion Sanders May Need His Foot Amputated
Greg Norman and Wife Face Serious Accusations
Alex Stein Says Brittney Griner and the WNBA 'Owe Me An Apology'
Jason Whitlock: Why Nikola Jokic & Foreign-Born Players Are Bad For the NBA
Colin Cowherd on Ja Morant's Suspension: 'Ditch Some of Your Loser Friends'
Colin Cowherd Makes This Bold NFL Playoff Prediction: 'It's the Right Call'