You can't sleep on Damian Lillard that way.

He should stay where he is because it's obviously where he wants to be.

I can sleep on it.

I have sleep down.

I have slept on it.

I'll continue to sleep on it.

And you know how I feel about Damian Lillard?

That's my man right there.

Let me say this to you.

And as a testament to his greatness, Max Kellerman.

He signed up, obviously represented by Erin and Eric Goodwin and a Goodwin management group.

They do a great job.

We know that one of the elite agents in this business, um, this is Damien Little salary over the next few years.

So he's at 31 million this year.

I think he's like 19th highest paid player in the NBA at 31 million hours.

Next year is gonna be a 43 2022.

23 is gonna be a 47 23 24 50 million, 24 25 54 million islands.

And ain't nobody ain't nobody even took a deep breath.

That's how bad this brother is.

He's something special.

Okay, nobody.

Nobody qualms about anything in regard to Damian Lillard's money because Dame Thomas Dame time he shows up when it counts.

We know what he brings to the table, but we also know what ain't coming to the table.

You know, damn championship.

First of all, let me say this to you.

Terry Starts is a good coach.

I'm not questioning anything about Terry starts in terms of his basketball acumen or whatever, but in terms of that coach that just has the ability to appeal something extra out of people, I still haven't seen that from him.

I think he's a He's a good coach, but he's just a coach.

That won't hurt you, you know, because he knows what the hell he's doing.

Whether he's that guy that will take you over.

The hump from a coaching standpoint has yet to be seen, and I'm still not sold on it as it pertains to Damian Lillard.

I'll tell you something I shared with both him and C.

J.

McCollum in the past.

I don't think they'll win together.

I think both of them are lethal.

Arguably the best backcourt in basketball this side of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

I get it.

I understand it completely when we talk about the best backcourts in the game.

Harden and Kyrie, Dame and CJ, Steph and Clay.

When Clay is healthy and not in that order, that's how I feel about it.

But here's the problem.

For some reason, when it comes to Portland, that's all you got.

You got other guys around you that can play the mellows, the Covington's of the world, the markets of the world who's, you know, always hurt all of this other stuff, even though he could play at least offense when he's healthy.

But I just look at it, and I've been one who who firmly believes two things.

Number one Because of dames.

Personality is moxie.

His his his his swag just overall swag because he don't say much.

But when he's speaking like E F.

Hutton, you better listen because he got something to say.

Okay, the brothers big time, and I'd love to see him in a big time.

Market me personally.

New York L.

A.

I would love that because I think Dan would, even though he's got all the commercials and he's got the money, believe it or not.

I think this room for his popularity to even grow because of that swag in the game that comes with it.

So on a personal level, I would like to see that happen.

But I'll say this professionally.

I don't believe they'll win a championship together.

I think one of them has to be moved in order for Portland to utilize them to get the other assets they need in order to take them over the hump.

That's just my personal belief that and it's not because one is lacking.

Both of them are, are legit.

Both of them are offensively but defensively, in terms of size and things of that nature and whatever you can bring to the table.

I just have always said, and I told him I shared this with both of them at least a couple of years ago, I said, Look, I think you'll make the players.

I think y'all are good.

I think y'all a big time backcourt.

But I don't think you'll ever win a championship together because Portland, you said that J.

McCullagh when he came on this show a couple of years ago.

Yeah, I remember you saying that C.

J McCollum.

I think of that it differently.

I think you keep them together and you have to hit in the draft like you're gonna have to find a steel in the draft.

The way the Knicks came up with quickly the way teams can find gems a little later in the draft to join these guys and and maybe make a savage move or two.

But in regards to Lillard's money, you know what I was thinking as you were reading a salary?

Stephen A.

Don't believe that time is money.

Money is time.

You stay focused.

You look up and your money is fine.

You know who said that?

Damian Lillard, like Lillard, is not thinking about all that stuff.

Lillard is focused on the job.

He has a head, which he thinks is bringing a chip to Portland.

You know it and he's so competitive we have a tendency like, Look, what just happened with J.

J.

Watt O.

J.

J.

Watt really wasn't be all about that competition all about being competitive.

If he was, he wouldn't have joined Arizona.

He would have joined a more stocked team.

Why is that more competitive when you join a team that's already tipped the scales, and now you're now it's ridiculous.

That's more competitive.

Maybe it's more competitive for J.

J.

Watt to go to Arizona.

Say, I believe in Kyler Murray.

I I believe in in some of the pieces on the defense.

My guy DeAndre Hopkins.

I'm gonna sign here because I think we can compete and win that Damian Lillard's attitude.

He's not seeing it as I'm going to form a super team, a super duper team with with my and make the super friends in the Hall of Justice and stuff and and and no one will stand in our way will obliterate everybody.

To me, that's not the most competitive thing you can do.

The most competitive is you stay where you are and by the way, or or even if you find another place and you believe in something you can build and lead to a championship that is anti the way All these guys do it nowadays, and that's why Lillard, in that way, stands by himself.

That's why he gets a different kind of respect.

Well, this is not about respect.

I mean, there's no question he's not lacking in the respect department.

Anybody that knows anything about ball respects Damian Lillard.

Anybody that knows anything about competition, expect respects.

Damian Lillard.

This is about whether or not he should remain in Portland.

I think that he's done and continues to do all he can as a Portland trail blazer.

I just don't think from an organizational perspective, that's the right place for him to be.

I've always said this to him.

I'll continue to say that to him.

I don't think it's the right place for him to be.

I think him being there, they're gonna be exactly what they are.

They're gonna be a competitive team that's a playoff team.

But then there will be a tough out, as you just said, a tough out.

That's about all.

He has never been in the situation, Nor do I believe he will ever be in a situation where he's going to be a prohibitive favorite playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

And I think his greatness demands that we see him on an even larger stage than we have now.

It's his choice and he's chosen.

He told me personally, he ain't down with moving on.

That's not how he rose.

He ain't trying to join some super team or anything like that.

If anything, it's about Cats joining him.

He's where he wants to be, So I wanna make sure I'm clear.

This is me talking.

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