Stephen A. Smith 'Begged' Damian Lillard to Join Knicks

Stephen A. Smith is playing literal fantasy basketball, yearning to see Damian Lillard don the New York Knicks' blue-and-orange.

The New York Knicks have flourished upon the arrival of former Portland Trail Blazer Josh Hart. But ESPN analyst and noted Knicks supporter/critic Stephen A. Smith is yearning for another that, in all likelihood, will never play a home game at Madison Square Garden. 

Damian Lillard's 71-point masterpiece on Sunday is the talk of the basketball world, as he needed only 39 minutes to earn the historic tally in Portland's 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. At 32, Lillard became the oldest player in NBA history to break 70 points and now sits behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant for the most career 60-point games. 

71 PTS, 13 3PM, 6 REB, 6 AST...

Damian Lillard, everyone 👏 pic.twitter.com/3bHwHXEonI

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2023

Much has been made about Lillard's seemingly undying loyalty to the Trail Blazers, as the point guard has spent his entire career in the Pacific Northwest since entering the NBA in 2012. Smith, speaking of a close friendship with Lillard, claims that while "Dame Time" has acknowledged his many suitors from elsewhere, only the Knicks, he claims, would ever prove tempting enough to ever head east.

"I've had a long and lengthy relationship with Dame. I've got a lot of love for him," Smith said. "I practically begged this man to be in New York City for the New York Knicks. I'd have given anything for him to end ... in the New York market in a New York Knicks uniform. He was never one that wanted to be with the (Los Angeles) Lakers."

"If he were to depart from Portland, the one place he would've wanted to be was the New York Knicks," Smith claims. "But, obviously, that never happened. It's a damn shame!" 

Of all the NBA free agent superstars that have been connected to the Knicks over the past decade, Smith claims that he's never wanted one to actually don the uniform more than Lillard, preferring him even over Kevin Durant.

"It's never going to happen, and it's very, very depressing. It's very depressing!" Smith said of Lillard joining the Knicks, fighting back mock tears. "There's no one I ever wanted in a New York market, can you imagine Dame at the Garden?"

To make his point, Smith imitates Lillard's trademark "Dame Time" gesture, where he mimics pointing to a wristwatch, much to the amusement of host Molly Qerim and fellow analysts Monica McNutt and Brian Windhorst. 

Smith lauds Lillard as the most desirable point guard in the modern NBA, save for fellow history-maker Stephen Curry. As an unapologetic Knicks fan, Smith claims it is "bittersweet" to watch Lillard embark upon his clutch, high-scoring antics in Portland because of his wildest dream.

While the Knicks (35-27) are no doubt satisfied and more with the way Jalen Brunson has filled the primary point guard spot, one has to wonder what Lillard's antics would produce in Manhattan. Lillard showed no signs of slowing down even before his Sunday breakout, as he's averaging a career-best 32.3 points a game this season and also took home the NBA's 3-Point Contest trophy at this month's All-Star festivities (besting New York's Julius Randle and six others). As with many marquee free agents, Lillard and the Knicks have been linked by gossip, both legitimate and farcical, but no deal has materialized. 

Lillard is under contract with the Trail Blazers (29-31) through 2025, having exercised a $48 million player option last summer. While some have lobbied for Lillard to demand a trade so he can earn an elusive championship ring, Lillard appears to have no issues remaining with the Trail Blazers. Earlier this season, the seven-time All-Star became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler. 

Portland, currently a half-game behind New Orleans for the fourth and final Western Conference Play-In Tournament berth, will welcome the Knicks to Moda Center on March 14. In the meantime, New York faces the Boston Celtics on Monday night at MSG (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).  

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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