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Damian Lillard has spent his profession defying NBA developments. In an period outlined by star motion, he has performed his whole profession for the Portland Trail Blazers. In an period through which gamers are judged an increasing number of primarily based on whether or not they have gained championships, he has made it clear he is discovered satisfaction within the pursuit whereas developing quick. He’s a throwback participant in a league now not designed to accommodate them.
And on an look on JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast, he lamented that. He’s nervous in regards to the state of the basketball discourse and the methods through which followers condense gamers into easy counts of what number of rings they’ve gained.
“While I perceive we play to win championships, all of us wish to win the championship, we will not preserve performing like nothing issues, like the remainder of the stuff, the journey would not matter,” Lillard mentioned. “We cannot preserve doing that. There’s so many ways in which the league is totally different. There’s so some ways. I give it some thought on a regular basis, like, man, I do not know if I can simply play a protracted, very long time as a result of I do not take pleasure in what the NBA as an entire is changing into.”
The league and participant’s union are presently negotiating a brand new collective bargaining settlement, and one of many matters absolutely being addressed is learn how to reengage followers throughout your complete season quite than simply the spring. The concept of an in-season event has been thrown round for that actual function. Others consider that the schedule must be shortened, and back-to-backs eradicated totally, to be able to guarantee most night-to-night participation from star gamers as load administration has grow to be more and more frequent.
These are potential fixes on the league’s finish, however it is going to be onerous to untangle the league from the rings tradition it has created itself. Load administration began out of the need to prioritize the postseason over the common season. Players prioritized championships in deciding the place to play, and that solely made it tougher for each different participant to maintain up. Teams steadily commerce half-a-decade’s price of picks for the shot at one championship. The league and its key characters all prioritize championships above all else, so it would be onerous to get followers to cease doing the identical.
