Stephen A. Smith thinks Damian Lillard may be a one-and-done in Milwaukee.
Smith spoke on “First Take” with ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe on Monday as the Bucks prepared to face the Pacers in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
“If Milwaukee loses, I think they need to look at moving Dame out of there,” Smith said.
Sharpe protested, “But he just got there!”
“I’m not talking about his game. He’s not happy there,” Smith replied.
“He has a lot of distractions, but that’s his job and we wish him the best of luck, because a lot of us don’t deal with it as well as he does with it.” Because you can’t.
“But nevertheless, whatever support system you’re looking for, even if it’s for external reasons, if you’re not happy with the situation, and he wants to go to Miami, I know it was, let’s say what it is, it’s all going on, so it’s a lot to deal with.
Smith emphasized that this is not a basketball issue, but something Lillard is going through “psychologically” in his personal life.
Mr. Smith did not declare that he had inside information about this opinion.
Earlier this season, Lillard told Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix that many of his friends and family, including his children, still live in Portland, and he expressed how difficult the transition to Milwaukee was from a personal standpoint. He talked about Taka.
“I’m very family-oriented, so I definitely miss it,” Lillard said at the time. “My life is all about family. When I went outside after the game, my whole family was back there. The kids were coming out of the playroom. My mom, my brother, my cousins were there. I lived, you know what I mean?”
Lillard He filed for divorce from his wife Kayla in October last year.
From a basketball perspective, the Bucks have had a rocky road this season.
Lillard had to make a quick move as he was traded to Milwaukee right before training camp.
During the preseason, head coach Adrian Griffin clashed with assistant coach Terry Stotts, who was close to Lillard in Portland, and Stotts resigned.
Griffin was then fired midway through his first year and replaced by Doc Rivers, who implemented new offensive and defensive systems on the spot.
