Damian Lillard's Reunion With Blazers Fans And The City Of Portland Shows That Ring Chasing Isn't Always The Way To Go

Maddie Meyer. Getty Images.

If you look across the NBA, you'll see there are a handful of first ballot HOF NBA legends who are still searching for their first ever Larry O'Brien trophy. Guys like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Chris Paul, players who have been dominating the NBA for decades, have still never reached the top of the mountain (quick second to stress how fucking fantastic it felt to not have to type Al Horford's name here). At this stage of their career, I don't think anyone would blame them for ring chasing, given the end of their careers is rapidly approaching.

Then of course there's another obvious name to add to that list, which is Damian Lillard. The 9x All Star, 7x All NBA player, and member of the NBA's Top 75 Team, Dame is another guy that at this stage of his career, plenty of people wanted him out of Portland and into a better situation that had a legit shot at title contention. As we saw, things didn't exactly work out that way with his short stint as a Buck, and then with his unfortunate achilles injury and the ensuing release/stretch of his contract, Dame was faced with a decision.

Option #1: Sign for the minimum with a contender since the Bucks were paying his salary in an attempt to ring chase

Option #2: Return home to the Blazers

I'll admit, when we first got the Shams bomb that Dame was indeed headed back to Portland to essentially end his career as a Blazer, I was both surprised and a little disappointed. I would have loved it if he hopped on the Celts train and both he and Jayson Tatum rehabbed their achilles injuries together, and then Dame could slide into the 2026-27 roster once everyone was back. That talent/production level at the price you could have theoretically brought Dame in on is exactly the type of swing I wanted Brad Stevens and the Celts to take. Little risk, potential for a decent reward. As an expensive roster, those types of moves are how they have to operate while having two supermax contracts on the roster.  

But you know what? After seeing glimpses of Dame's reunion with that city and that fanbase, I now think this was the only move that truly feels right

It made me think. Suppose you're a player in Dame's position, or of any of the other legends who are still looking for their first ring whether it be Harden/CP3/Westbrook. Would you rather ring chase where you may be a small piece of the puzzle (especially sitting for the year if you're Dame), or go back to where you've always meant to be in a city where you are a legitimate icon?

I guess it comes down to the debate of whether ring chasing > being a franchise and city hero.

For a player like Dame, someone who has already punched his ticket to the Hall Of Fame, even as someone with no rooting interest in the Blazers, I think it's way better that he went this route than to ring chase. Even though he's out for the year, this just feels right. You know when certain players play the majority of their careers with one team, and then in the tail end of their career they bounce around and it looks weird as shit? That's how I felt seeing Dame in a Bucks jersey. To my idiot brain, it was basically Tony Parker 2.0 back when he signed with the Hornets. Just weird as shit to see and for my brain to process

Kent Smith. Getty Images.

John Fisher. Getty Images.

And you know what? Despite the fact that we very much live in a RINGGZZZZZ Culture (especially in the NBA), it's not like a championship is the end-all all be-all when it comes to a player's career. Charles Barkley is an all-time great, he never won. Stockton/Malone, Patrick Ewing, Elgin Baylor, Steve Nash, Dominique Wilkins, Allen Iverson, Reggie Miller. T-Mac, Vince Carter, Melo, Dikembe Mutombo, Bernard King, the list goes on and on. 

Of course, some of those guys did try and ring chase at the tail end of their careers only to see it crash and burn, but I guess my point is there's nothing wrong with deciding not to go that route and instead go back to where you were meant to be the whole time. A place where you are legitimately a living legend.

“This is one of the times in my life where I feel extremely happy. Every day, I wake up and I’m thankful. I’m waking up seeing my kids, taking them to school. I can just drive down to my mom’s house. It’s a blessing, man. I couldn’t be happier.”

Maybe it's just me, but seeing as winning a title is never guaranteed no matter what contender you may try and latch onto, I think I'd prefer this Dame situation than bouncing around trying to secure that elusive ring. Sure, the Blazers may have no shot at legitimately contending for an NBA title while Dame finishes out his career, but so what? That doesn't change what he means to that city and that fanbase. And yeah, that whole MIA trade bullshit was annoying, but there are two sides to every story. In the end, the Blazers are probably better positioned moving forward as a result of that whole thing, and now they get their franchise legend back as the cherry on top. 

And if Dame officially ends his career without a title? So be it. Doesn't change the fact that he's a first ballot HOFer. It doesn't change the fact that all this shit exists

So while at the time I was bummed that Dame turned down the possibility of taking his talents to Boston after he got stretched by the Bucks, having seen that reaction from that fanbase and what it means to them to have Dame back in their lives again, it really is the only option that feels right.