Damian Lillard Thinks Blazers Would Be Champions if Teammate Stayed

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard is still searching for his first-ever, elusive NBA championship. Although Lillard has had an excellent Hall of Fame-type career, a title is missing from his resume.

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Lillard has had plenty of chances to reach the NBA Finals, but he has not played in the season’s final games. He has gotten close plenty of times, and he’s been a part of excellent teams, especially as a Portland Trail Blazer.

However, the 34-year-old believes his window was wide open when he had former All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge on his team. Lillard appeared on the Club 520 podcast to discuss various things, and he said if Aldridge had never left for San Antonio, he would have hosted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

“If [Lamarcus Aldridge] would have never went to San Antonio, we would have won at least once already. I would have came into my own but he was that good,” said Lillard.

Lillard and Aldridge were teammates together for three seasons from 2012-15. Aldridge was still at the top of his game at 29 years old. As for Lillard, he was barely coming into his own after four years at Weber State and the tender age of 24, just before Aldridge left.

The two reached the playoffs two times together. In 2014, the Trail Blazers lost in five games to the eventual champions, the San Antion Spurs, after finishing with a 54-28 record, fifth in the Western Conference.

In 2015, Aldridge’s last season, the Blazers were bounced in the first round, losing to the Memphis Grizzlies in five games. They ended the regular season with a 51-31 record.

The former seven-time NBA All-Star signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Spurs in the summer of 2015. That ended his tenure with the Blazers, and while they reached new heights without him, making a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2019.

Aldridge spent six seasons with the Spurs, averaging 19.5 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, 2,0 assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from three. Although he left the Blazers for that elusive title, he and the Spurs were not able to capture one.

Lillard is still trying to capture his first title, and he has a great chance to do so with the Bucks. Led by former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have the seventh short odds to win the 2025 title with +1300 odds, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

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