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Former NBA player JR Smith recently criticized Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal for their lack of ambition. Lillard and Beal committed to the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards this offseason despite being linked with a move to better teams.
Lillard signed a $122 million two-year extension, which will keep him with the Portland Trail Blazers until the end of the 2026-27 season. Beal signed a $251 million five-year supermax deal, including a no-trade clause with the Washington Wizards in free agency.
Given that both Washington and Portland have failed to compete in recent seasons, the two players' decisions came as a bit of a surprise.
On the 'No Chill with Gilbert Arenas' podcast, JR Smith said he respected Lillard's game, but criticized him for not wanting to move to a better team.
"Guess how I feel about Dame like I love Dame, I love his game, I respect him for you know, being doing what he's doing. But at the same time, it's like, you're just gonna rot in Portland, bro? Like you are unbelievable... Like, get me a bucket, he's gonna get it. He's showing up, he's gonna play hard as hell, and all of that."
Smith then shifted his focus to Beal.
"Brad (Beal)! He's nice, but I'm not about to rot in DC. Like, it's a nice place, the city is nice, but it's my career, I'm tryna win, bro!"
Will Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal's decisions impact their legacies?
Failing to win championships hasn't impacted the legacies of past legends. Allen Iverson, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone cemented their spots in NBA history despite not winning a ring.
Lillard and Bradley Beal are both in the prime of their careers. They could've easily jumped ship and made the teams they joined contenders. However, they stayed put, committing to the teams that drafted them.
The road will be tough for them going forward. It isn't a path many players around the league have taken over the last 15 years.
As such, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal could be remembered as players who chose to stay loyal to their respective franchises instead of taking the easy way out and moving to a super team.
