J-Speaks: Three-Point History At MSG

 

At the end of the 2004-05 season, current longtime NBA on TNT/NBATV analyst retired as the all-time leader in three-pointers made in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), which he accomplished in late April 1998 and held that mark for 13 years. On Feb 20, 2011 a fellow now Hall of Famer surpassed him to become the new leader in three pointers made in NBA history, with the man he passed on the call of that game in “Beantown” for NBA on TNT. On Tuesday night, both men were in attendance to witness the new all-time leader in three-pointers made in NBA’s Silver Anniversary.

At the 10:57 mark of the first quarter of the Golden State Warriors (23-5) 105-96 win at the New York Knicks (12-16) on Tuesday night, Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry II tied Hall of Famer Ray Allen for the most threes made in NBA history at 2,973.

Then at the 7:34 mark of the opening stanza off a pass from Andrew Wiggins, Curry made his second three of the contest, passing Ray Allen for the most three-pointers made in NBA history at 2,974.

“Here’s Curry for the record. It’s good!!! And there it is!!!,” was the call of NBA on TNT play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson when Curry passed Allen. “Stephen Curry. The all-time three-point king in the NBA!!!”

Curry finished the night with 22 points, going 5/14 from three-point range, now with 2,977 career threes made.

                                Most Three-Pointers Made In NBA History                         
                               3-Pt. Made      3-Pt. Attempted    Career Games Played
Stephen Curry         2,977                    6,903                           789
Ray Allen                 2,973                     7,429                        1,300
Reggie Miller           2,560                     6,486                        1,389

It was eight years ago in his fifth appearance at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” that Curry scored a then career-high 54 points on a then franchise record 11 threes, going 11/13 from three-point range, falling one shy of the single-game NBA-record at that time of 12 made threes.

To put into context the kind of performance Curry had on that night in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN, since the opening of MSG at its present location in New York, NY since 1968, only the late Kobe Bryant (61 points in 2009) and fellow Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (55 points in 1995 for Chicago Bulls) and Curry are the only three visiting players to score more than 54 points at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

But the Knicks won the game 109-105. That was the last time the Warriors lost at the Knicks, winning counting their visit Tuesday night their last seven visits to MSG, and going 10-1 in their last 11 visits in the Curry era, and he has had his fingerprints on each of those wins, especially from three-point range.

Curry registered his fourth career triple-double in the Warriors’ 126-104 win at the Knicks on Feb. 28, 2014 with 27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. He became the first Warriors player to put up a triple-double against the Knicks since Feb. 26, 1988 when Winston Garland, the father of current Cleveland Cavaliers lead guard Darius Garland had 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the team’s 125-119 loss versus the Knicks.

In the Warriors Feb. 23, 2021 visit to MSG, Curry had 37 points going 7/14 from three-point range in the 114-106 victory, one of his NBA-record 101 career games with seven-plus threes made.  

“This arena, I can’t express how much of an honor that was for the reaction on the road,” Curry said to “Inside the NBA” crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal after the win. “The appreciation for this milestone and obviously it’s great to get the win on top of that. So, a very, very special night.”

This major accomplishment by Curry, which began on Oct. 30, 2009 at the Phoenix Suns where Curry made his the first three-pointer of his career is a culmination of how Curry said to NBA on TNT sideline reporter Allie LaForce put it before the game that when you “pour yourself into a mission” is when good things will happen.

             Notable Three-Pointers Made in Stephen Curry’s Career To Date                              
Oct. 30, 2009 at the Phoenix Suns: first career made three-pointer in second quarter of his second career NBA game.

Dec. 7, 2013 at Memphis Grizzlies: In his 276^th career game became the Warriors all-time leader in three-pointers made passing Jason Richardson

Mar. 11, 2016 versus Portland Trail Blazers: became the fastest to reach 1,500 career threes made in his 477^th career NBA game. Curry has made 155 triples to date in his career against the Trail Blazers, the third most against any of the 30 NBA squads in his career.

April 13, 2016 versus the Grizzlies (final night of regular season): hit his 400^th three-pointer of the season, ending the back end of his back-to-back Kia MVP seasons, the second one by a unanimous vote, the first player to have that distinction in NBA history. Curry finished with an NBA record 402 threes made that season, where the Warriors posted the best regular-season mark in NBA history at 73-9.

Nov. 7, 2016 versus New Orleans Pelicans (116-106 win): Curry made a then NBA record 13 threes, going 13/17 from three-point range and 16/26 overall from the floor totaling 46 points. That record would be broken by Curry’s teammate Klay Thompson, who made the current NBA record 14 threes, going 14/24 on his way to 52 points on 18/29 overall from the floor in the Warriors 149-124 win at the Chicago Bulls Oct. 29, 2018.  

Jan. 23, 2021 at Utah Jazz: Curry nailed a catch-and-shoot right corner three-pointer to pass Miller for No. 2 on the all-time three-pointers made list in his 715^th career game, which happened very early into season No. 12 of his NBA career.

Dec. 14, 2021 at New York Knicks: He passed Ray Allen to become the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made.

Curry built his soon to be Hall of Fame legacy from the ground up as a youth to now 12 seasons with the Warriors where be all the odds. Coming out of Charlotte Christian Academy he got only one scholarship offer from a Power 5 institution. In his college career at Davidson College, the then 165-pound Curry was told that if he made it to the NBA that he would be a “decent” player.

He became more than a decent player. Curry became a three-time NBA champion; two-time Kia MVP; seven-time All-Star; seven-time All-NBA selection; and one of “The Association’s” most transcendent players all-time.

                Career Ark of Ray Allen and Stephen Curry               

          Allen                                                        Curry
          2,973           3-Pt. Made                           2,977
          1,300         Games Played                         789
           5.7             3-Pt. Att/GM                          8.7
           1        Seasons W/250+ 3-Pt. Made          7 

As Anderson put it, Curry is “the man who changed the game.” The individual who ignited the evolution of the three-point line into the most important part of all 30 NBA team’s offensive attack. Very similar to how the late legend of Major League Baseball Babe Ruth  changed that sport with the ability to hit the ball right out of the ballpark.

Curry got congratulations via Twitter from the likes of four-time Kia MVP LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers @KingJames saying, “Just landed in Dallas to see @StephenCurry30 broke the record and to make it even doper he did it in the GARDEN!! WOW CONGRATS BROTHER!! INCREDIBLE.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and seven-time Super Bowl champion @TomBrady said, “Congrats to my friend and @UnderArmour teammate. What an accomplishment @StephenCurry30.”

Actor and Knicks fans Ben Stiller, who was in attendance for the historic moment, tweeted @RedHourBen, “Congrats @StephenCurry30 at #MSG.”

Also in attendance was comedian John Stewart, the former host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” Fellow actor and comedian Chris Rock. NFL Hall of Famer and host of ABC’s “Good Morning America” FOX’s NFL Sunday Pregame show Michael Strahan. Longtime NBA play-by-play commentator for Madison Square Garden Network, NBC, and TNT Marv Albert. Actor Michael J. Fox. Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan. Grammy Award singer Alicia Keys. Actor Pete Davidson from NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Actor, Oscar Winning Director and Knicks’ super fan Spike Lee. 

Curry also got congratulations from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who said in a statement, “It’s truly thrilling to see Steph break the NBA’s all-time record for three-pointers. He has revolutionized the way the game is played and continues to leave fans in awe with his amazing artistry and extraordinary shooting ability. We congratulate him on this historic achievement.”

To put into context how Curry has changed the game in terms of how the three-point line is utilized today in the NBA, in the first season that the league introduced the three-point shot teams on averaged made close to one triple per game in nearly three tries. In Curry’s rookie season in 2009-10, teams averaged six made threes. When the Warriors won the first of three titles in their five straight Finals appearance from 2015-19, teams made an average of 7.8 threes. So far this season, that average has gone up to 12.3 made threes per game.

Miller said during the broadcast that when he began his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers in 1987-88, teams only attempted a little over five threes per game.

                 Three-Point Progression NBA History                         

  Year          3-Pointers Made    Three-Pointers Attempted
1979-80              0.8                                   2.8
2009-10              6.4                                  18.1
2014-15              7.8                                  22.4
2021-22             12.3                                 35.4             

NBA Three-Pointers Per Game: Notable Seasons Since Stephen Curry’s NBA Debut in 2009-10 By NBA Teams

Seasons         3-Pt. Made PG         3-Pt. Attempted PG
2009-10                  6.4                                 18.1
2013-14                  7.7                                 21.5
2018-19                11.4                                 32.0
2021-22                12.3                                 35.4 (highest average all-time)

Evolution Of NBA Three-Point Record: Notable Record Holders At Time Of Becoming       Three-Point Leader
Year               Name                     Three-Pointers
1982           Brian Taylor                      155
1982           Joey Hassett                       158
1984         Darrell Griffith                    197
1986           Larry Bird                          249
1989            Dale Ellis                           460
1991        Michael Adams                     626
1993            Dale Ellis                           815
1993        Michael Adams                     821
1993            Dale Ellis                           823
1998         Reggie Miller                     1,592
2011            Ray Allen                        2,562
2021         Stephen Curry                   2,977

“He has changed the game with the three-ball,” Miller said during the broadcast on Tuesday night of how Curry changed the game with his ability to quickly strike a match from long range. “How all 30 teams approach the game is because of No. 30.”

In Ray Allen’s 18-year career, he attempted 15 threes in a game four times. Curry has attempted at least 15 threes 10 times already this season.

After Curry reached this historic milestone, the game was stopped and everyone inside Madison Square Garden gave the new three-point leader a well-deserved standing ovation.

Those that were a part of that ovation were Curry’s parents in mom Sonya and dad Dell Curry, who played in the NBA for 16 seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, and Milwaukee Bucks, and now is a color analyst for the Hornets for Bally Sports Southeast.

“I mean, they’ve been a part of the whole journey,” Curry said added Johnson, Smith, Barkley, and O’Neal about the night and the hug he shared with his mom and dad after becoming the all-time NBA leader in threes made. “It’s kind of crazy to think growing up around the league [NBA], watching my dad play, my family, you know, going to old Hornets games and having big dreams about shooting the basketball and hopefully one day playing at this level.”

“To do it here at Madison Square Garden in front of, you know, this guy [Ray Allen] and Reggie and just all that basketball means to me. It’s special.”

Also in attendance was the aforementioned Allen, who when passed Miller to become the all-time leader in threes made a decade ago when the Boston Celtics hosted the arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers that Thursday night, Miller was on the broadcast and the two embraced after he passed Miller. Curry’s former college coach at Davidson Bob McKillop (1989-present), and right next to him was Larry Riley, the man who drafted Curry No. 7 overall in 2009.

In a conversation with LaForce at the start of the week, Coach McKillop said in reference to Curry saying how confidence is a “unique” thing.

“There are people that are confident. But they’re arrogant and that’s reflected in their entitlement,” Coach McKillop said. “Then there are people that are confident, but there humble and that’s reflected by gratitude. And that’s Steph.”

“He’s grateful for his family, his teammates, his gifts. He never takes something like this historical moment and take credit for it just himself. It came from everybody.”

Curry, who was in his second year in the NBA when Allen passed Miller on the all-time list, when asked by LaForce pregame if he envisioned himself passing Allen? He said, “not even close.” That it was not on his radar until 2014-15 that he felt he could become the all-time leader in threes made.

One of the first teammates to greet Curry when he passed Allen was Draymond Green, his teammate for a decade. Moments later, he was greeted by his teammate for eight seasons, including this one in 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, and then his other fellow teammate and brother-in-law Damion Lee. The Warriors assistant coaches from Mike Brown, Bruce Frasier and then head coach Steve Kerr, who was on the floor the night that Miller, his former colleague at Turner Sports surpassed Dale Ellis as the all-time leader in threes made.

“Pretty emotional. More emotional than I thought it would be,” Coach Kerr said to LaForce at the half about Curry becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in threes made.

“It was just beautiful just to hear the fan’s reaction. To see his teammates. To see his dad, you know. To see Reggie and Ray over there on the sidelines. It was just a fantastic moment.”

Curry’s final two embraces before the game resumed was with his dad Dell holding the game ball and with Allen.   

This moment also not only displayed the evolution of the game, but the impact one generation can have on another.

There is no Stephen Curry if there was no Ray Allen. There is no Ray Allen if there was no Reggie Miller. There is no Reggie Miller without someone like fellow Hall of Famer and three-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics Larry Bird. As Miller put it, these gentlemen “pushed the game forward” because the next generation has to be uplifted by those who can set the right example.

“And for Stephen and Ray to say they looked up to me. I had people I looked up to as well in my evolution,” Miller said. “Larry Bird was my guy. That’s who I modeled my game after. So, to get a chance to watch how he prepared for games, and to hear Stephen and Ray say they kind of mimic what I did, it’s all an evolution of the game. Trying to encourage the youth and set good examples for the younger players ahead of us.”

Curry for sure has taken those lessons and put them to good use as Curry before games is out early shooting with Coach Frasier.

“This is pretty special,” Curry said of the jersey exchange. “I mean, like I said these two legends [Allen and Miller], I watched them growing up and understood what it meant to shoot the ball because of them and my dad. Full circle moment, man. I’m blessed. Blessed for sure.”

How big has Curry routine to gets constant shots up before games? Fans at the Warriors arena the Chase Center and in opposing arenas, fans show up early to get a glimpse of the kind of work Curry puts in to go out and shoot at the level he does in games. During those shooting workouts, Curry will shoot from very long distances like from the locker room tunnel.

That ability to make threes at a high clip is also a credit to the work behind the scenes that Curry put into his conditioning and getting into the kind of shape necessary to attempt the high number of threes he does, which has been in double-digits the past few seasons. That comes from all the work Curry on his body, especially his ankles, which he constantly injured early in his career.

This amazing achievement is also the incredible work by his teammates of setting great screens to get him open to attempt and make those three-pointers as well get him the ball when Curry does get open.

“You see the finished polished product out there. But you know, the reps that’s gone into it over the course of the journey and knowing that how many teammates have been a part of this as well,” Curry said to ESPN postgame. “But somebody’s got to set screens for me. Somebody’s got to throw me the ball.”

“There’s been a lot of people that have filled in those roles for me as well, So, hope they can celebrate this as well.”

The other irony of Curry reaching this milestone at Madison Square Garden is that 12 years ago, the Knicks had a chance to draft him at No. 8 overall before the Warriors selected him at No. 7 12 seasons back. The Knicks took Jordan Hill No. 8 overall, who played just 24 games for the Knicks and 409 career games for five different teams over eight seasons.

That moment more than anything showed that Curry had the kind of focus that he could come to the “Big Apple” and take on all the expectations that come with it.

Along with that, Curry would have been paired with then head coach Mike D’Antoni, whose offensive system helped turn Hall of Famer Steve Nash, now the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets into a two-time Kia MVP and current Net James Harden into 2017-18 Kia MVP while with the Houston Rockets.

Curry had displayed that quiet confidence and unrelenting determination with the help from the aforementioned Green, Klay Thompson, and Iguodala, and first under head coach Mark Jackson, and now head coach Steve Kerr helped turn the Warriors from a cellular dweller into a first-class organization that has as mentioned won three titles in a five-year period and are knocking on that championship door again this season.

Most Assists On Stephen Curry’s Career Three-Pointers Made
Draymond Green: 480
Andre Iguodala: 168
Kevin Durant (BKN): 153
Klay Thompson: 12

A little over two decades ago, Reggie Miller became the all-time leader in threes made the NBA at a time when players and teams were in the infancy of the three-point evolution. When fellow Hall of Famer Ray Allen became the all-time leader in threes made a decade ago, teams incorporated shooting threes a bit more. Today, the three-point shot is an integral part of the NBA game and Wardell Stephen Curry is not only the headliner in that evolution, he on Tuesday night at the “Worlds Most Famous Arena” with his parents in attendance as well as Miller on the call of this historic moment in the NBA and Allen the new all-time leader in made threes and counting.

Curry put in the work just like his father Dell, Miller and Allen did, and earned not just a spot on the NBA all-time three-pointers made list but the top spot with many more years and three-point attempts left on his right hand to add to that number and hopefully one or two more titles as well.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 1/23/2021 www.nba.com story, “Stephen Curry Passes Reggie Miller For No. 2 All-Time In 3-Pointers Made,” By Brian Martin; 12/10/2021 www.nba.com story, “10 Milestone Moments In Stephen Curry’s NBA Career;” 12/13/2021 1 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter With Scott Van Pelt” from Washington, D.C.; 12/13/2021 7:30 p.m. “Golden State Warriors versus New York Knicks” TNT, presented by State Farm With Brian Anderson, Reggie Miller, and Allie LaForce; 12/14/2021 1 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” With Ro Parrish, Candace Parker, and Steve Smith; 12/14/2021 www.sportingnews.com story, “NBA 3-Pointers Record: Warriors Stephen Curry Passes Ray Allen As All-Time Leader,” By Scott Raferty; 12/15/2021 1 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter” with Michael Eaves and John Anderson; 12/15/2021 12:30 a.m. “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-nyk-0022100414/box-score; https://www.basketball-reference.com/bosxscores/198802260GSW.html;  https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameid/400899549; https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/game/_/gameid/401070772; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Curry.

J-Speaks: Trail Blazers Oust General Manager And President For Violation of Workplace Conduct

 

Things have not been easy for the Portland Trail Blazers to start 2021-22 on the court and things got even more hectic with a serious shakeup in their front office at the start of this weekend.

On Friday, the Trail Blazers fired General Manager and President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey following findings of an independent investigation that determined that he was in violation of the team’s code of workplace conduct.

Taking over for Mr. Olshey on an interim basis as the search for a permanent replacement according to the Trail Blazers will be Jon Cronin, who is in his 15^th season with the organization.

“Out of respect for those who candidly participated in that privileged investigation, we will not release our discuss it,” the Trail Blazers said in a statement. “We are confident that these changes will help build a more positive and respectful working environment.”   

The Trail Blazers, according to multiple reports, including from “The Athletic” and “Yahoo! Sports,” last month, Trail Blazers have begun and independent investigation through the law firm O’Melveny & Myers into Olshey about “concerns around workplace environment by non-player personnel at the practice facility.”

The investigation found that Olshey, 56, created a hostile work environment, which consisted of instances of bullying and intimidation, according to a report at that time from “Yahoo! Sports.”  

Olshey, who had been in the Trail Blazers front office since 2012 after nine seasons as the GM for the Los Angeles Clippers added the title of President of Basketball Operations for the Trail Blazers in 2015.

In a statement released by the Trail Blazers when the investigation began last month, “The Portland Trail Blazers organization was recently notified of concerns around workplace environment by non-player personnel at the practice facility. In response, we immediately engaged O’Melveny & Myers, an outside firm with significant expertise in this area, to conduct a full, fair, and independent review into these concerns and w2ill take appropriate action based on its outcome. While we cannot comment on this pending matter, we are committed to continuing to build an organization that positively imparts our colleagues, communities, and the world in which we live and play.”

This move by the Trail Blazers comes on the heels of another major turnover within their front office last month.

In the middle of November month, Trail Blazers President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chris McGowan stepped down after being in that position for nine years. His resignation was effective on Nov. 26.

Taking McGowan place was the team’s Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President was Dewayne Hankins.

“It has been a pleasure serving our passionate fans and team partners, and I wish nothing   but the continued success to everyone in ‘Rip City,’” McGowan said in a statement last month.

In the summer of 2021, the Trail Blazers fired head coach Terry Stotts in June after the team lost in six games to the Nuggets in the First-Round of 2021 NBA Playoffs after nine seasons, hiring 2004 Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons Chauncey Billups, who played 17 years with the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Pistons, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers.

The hiring of five-time All-Star came with questions of his experience as a coach, which consisted of just one season as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers a season ago over more qualified candidates as well as concerns of sexual assault allegations against Billups 25 years ago.

Charges related to those allegations against Billups in 1997 when he was with the Celtics never came to bear and the case settled out of court with the woman who accused Billups in 2000.

Billups said last month that he had not spoken to his boss about the allegations of workplace misconduct. The only conversations that they have had are strictly related to the game.

“I mean obviously it’s unfortunate,” Billups said about the alleged allegations made about Olshey. “An unfortunate time. Obviously, all I know is what everybody read, what everybody else knows from what they read about the report and the investigation. That’s all I know. There’s nothing else that I can really say more about that.”  

The Trail Blazers have gone 11-13 so far this seasons dropping their last two games, including a 145-117 loss versus the Celtics (13-11) on Saturday night, their second straight defeat.

While they have gone 10-3 at Moda Center so far this season, which includes a two-game skid currently, they have gone just 1-10 on the road.

Under Olshey, the Trail Blazers reached the NBA Playoffs for eight straight seasons, the longest active streak in “The Association.” They reached the Western Conference Finals three seasons back but suffered a four-game sweep by the Golden State Warriors in four games in their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2000. Since then, the Trail Blazers have not advanced past the West Quarterfinals (First-Round) in four out of the last five seasons.

Less than a month following the hiring of Olshey, the Trail Blazers drafted Damian Lillard No. 6 overall in 2012. Lillard earned Kia Rookie of the Year for the 2012-13 seasons and has earned six All-Star selections and six All-NBA selections in the years that have followed behind a career average of 24.6 points per game.

Unfortunately, Lillard is on the shelf at the moment missing the last two games because of abdominal tendinopathy, which he sustained over the off-season helping Team USA capture Gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Trail Blazers six-time All-Star Damian Lillard, who has had a rough start to this season scoring and shooting wise and has had to navigate speculation about his desire to remain with the team as well as the pushback of the hiring of Billups last month when the news of the investigation into Olshey was “news to him.”

“I came across it just like everybody else did. But that’s all I know of it, that it’s an investigation,” Lillard added.

Trail Blazers starting center Jusuf Nurkic echoed those same sentiments, “All I know is what everybody knows from the statement from the team. And I have [nothing] specific to add.” 

Nurkic, who the Trail Blazers acquired in a deal with the Denver Nuggets in February 2017 and has seen his career blossom under Olshey said when asked on characterize his relationship with Olshey, he said that they “don’t” have a relationship.

Current Lakers’ perennial All-Star forward and future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, who revived his career with the Trail Blazers the last two seasons said back in November he had not heard about the investigation into Olshey until he was asked about it during his postgame presser after the loss at the Trail Blazers.

“You just broke that news to me,” Anthony, who had 12 points in the loss at the Trail Blazers said. “I have no idea what’s even going on with that.”

The news of the distraction did not knock the Trail Blazers off stride in their 105-90 win versus the Los Angeles Lakers (12-12) on Nov. 6. Lillard, who is averaging 21.5 points and 7.8 assists on the season so far and Billups said after the game that their focus will be on helping the team win games on the floor and let the investigation play itself out.

“The game continues. Our jobs continue. And that’s all we can do,” Lillard, who had 25 points and six assists on 6/14 from three-point range in the win versus the Lakers said. “That’s what we can control is doing our job and being prepared, and me being here for 10 years now and being a big part of this organization and this team, it’s my job to continue to do that the way that I have. And that’s what I can control and that’s what I’ll do.”

Billups added postgame, “You know, it’s a distraction because there’s so much talk about it, obviously.”

“But I can honestly say when I’m in that office and with the guys, I don’t think about that at all. Nov even for a little bit. I’m focused on the game.”

With everything that has transpired with the Trail Blazers these past few weeks is heading towards a significant moment of truth with them in the summer of 2022 of whether they decide to give Lillard, who turns 32 next July 15 a two-year, $107 million super max extension. Lillard at ages 35 and 36 would be paid $55 million.

This puts more on an emphasis on filling the position of GM even more important and that person deciding that if it is the right move to continue to build around Lillard? Is the organization going to empower the next GM to decide to keep Lillard in the fold or trade him and receive major compensation for him.

According to ESPN’s senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Lillard has wanted that super max deal. But the question is how much of an influence will Lillard have in the search for the team’s next leader in their front office? Will that individual oblige and sign Lillard to that aforementioned two-year super max extension, and is that in the best interest for the future of the Trail Blazers?

Lillard, who signed a four-year $176 million super max extension in June 2019 has said repeatedly over the summer and at the start of this season that he does want to remain with the Trail Blazers and end his career with the team that he began his now nine-year NBA career with.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on Friday night’s addition of NBA Countdown on the only thing that would “really tickle” Lillard into leaving “Rip City” is going to the “Big Apple” to play for the New York Knicks.

“There are people in his camp that would like to convince him to give Philadelphia [76ers] a stronger consideration,” Smith said. “But when he thinks about the New York Knicks, he thinks about going to the top market in the country. Thinks about obviously marketability. He might not be thinking about that, but his team might be thinking about that. But Damian Lillard knows that if he were in ‘The Mecca,’ it would be far easier for him to recruit teammates to come and want to play with him as opposed to him being in the Pacific Northwest.”

“The New York Knicks would be his No. 1 preference. Not the Lakers. Not the Brooklyn Nets. Not the Philadelphia 76ers.”

The problem is the Knicks (11-12) do not have the kind of assets from young players and draft picks that the Trail Blazers would entertain. Also, they are one-game under .500 currently and their once starting point guard in All-Star Kemba Walker, considered a major offseason acquisition not only got replaced in the starting lineup by Alec Burks but he is not even in the head coach Tom Thibodeau’s playing rotation.

The 76ers for sure have a 25-year-old disgruntled three-time All-Star in Ben Simmons, who is holding out right now because he does want to play in the “City of Brotherly Love” anymore because of how he feels he was disrespected by the front office, head coach Doc Rivers and his teammates, specifically Joel Embiid after the loss in Game 7 of the 2021 East Semifinals versus the Eastern Conference runner-up Atlanta Hawks.

Lillard’s loyalty to the franchise that drafted him is something to admire and respect, especially in recent years where we have seen unhappy A-list players want out or have changed teams because they are in pursuit of winning a title, get paid more money or just want to be in a better situation. 

Jalen Rose mentioned on “NBA Countdown” Friday night that the Trail Blazers current situation is something that he “hates” for Billups because he feels he has the potential to be the kind of head coach Tyronn Lue has been for the Clippers and Monty Williams is for the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns.

“But when you lose your GM, to me, it’s time to blow it up,” Rose said. “And it’s not because of Dame or CJ [McCollum]. It’s because of Nurkic and the lack of help that they get. And the lack of balance that they have as a basketball team.”

To bring home Rose’s point, the Trail Blazers this off-season re-signed swingman Norman Powell, and signed center Cody Zeller; acquired forward/center Larry Nance, Jr, and signed forward/guard Tony Snell and guard Ben McLemore this summer.

Smith said that the reality is for the Trail Blazers that they will never win a Larry O’Brien trophy with tandem of Lillard and McCollum, which he has said to them over the years “directly, personally” to them. That it is the time to trade one of them to bring back in a trade a bunch of assets to play with the other that remains and you move forward from there.

“I don’t care what I think about Chauncey Billups as a coach, and I think he’s got a lot of promise,” Smith said.

“Let me be very, very clear on national television. The Portland Trail Blazers ain’t winning a damn thing as presently constructed. And no one is clamoring to come to the Pacific Northwest to play with them [Lillard and McCollum]. Which means, they ain’t winning anything period!”

Rose added that also means, that the Trail Blazers eventually will have to trade both Lillard and McCollum have to be dealt in order for their high salaries off the books.

That comes back to the question, which Michael Wilbon asked about who can and will the Trail Blazers bring in to lead their front office to make these difficult but necessary decisions? Also, will that next GM have that kind of authority to make those tough calls?

“That is the whole show in town,” Wilbon said about the Trail Blazers being the only major pro sports team in Portland, OR.

For eight straight seasons, the Portland Trail Blazers have made the NBA Playoffs, the longest streak currently in the NBA. In four out the past five seasons though, they have had an early exit from the postseason going out in the opening-round.

They have been the perfect example of being a good team that is in playoff contention every year but have not risen to the moment except for three years ago when they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, when this blogger was in his senior year at Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY.

With the ouster of their General Manager and President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey and Chief Executive Officer Chris McGowan, the Trail Blazers’ future is uncertain and how they put things back together in their front office will determine if that future has perennial Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in the fold.   

Information and statistics are courtesy of 11/6/2021 www.espn.com story, “Source: Portland Trail Blazers President Of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey Facing Misconduct Investigation; 11/7/2021 www.espn.com story, “Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard ‘Focused On Leading’ Amid Neil Olshey Investigation,” By Dave McMenamin; 11/7/2021 2 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia With Ro Parrish, Jim Jackson, and Channing Frye;” www.espn.com/nba/standings; 11/12/2021 www.espn.com story, “Portland Trail Blazers President Chris McGowan Steps Down After 9 Years,” by “The Associated Press;”  12/3/2021 www.espn.com story, “Portland Trail Blazers Fire GM President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey,” and www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameid/401359962.