Lillard: Warriors, Raiders leaving Oakland 'just rubs me wrong'

Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard isn't happy with the changing sports landscape in his hometown of Oakland.

Ahead of Portland's Monday night game against the Golden State Warriors at the billion-dollar Chase Center in San Francisco, the four-time All-Star expressed his frustration with the relocation of Oakland-area teams and the ripple effects of those moves.

"It just rubs me wrong," Lillard said, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "Like, I've watched games here (at Chase Center) on TV and the crowd's just not the same. ... The Black Hole is still there. You still see (Raider) Nation in support. Why would you leave that behind? It's a real sense of pride in Oakland about everything that represents us."

The Warriors moved from Oakland to San Francisco ahead of this season, and the NFL's Oakland Raiders are expected to move to Las Vegas for the 2020 campaign.

Lillard said he'd still support the football team, but he suggested that relocating the franchises overlooks the deeply rooted fandom they've developed in the area.

"The Warriors going across the (Bay) Bridge, the Raiders going to Vegas, it's almost like a money grab," Lillard said.

"The money moves is kind of pushing the real love and what's really behind these organizations to the side - which is understandable, and also not understandable because I'm from Oakland.

"I know both sides (of the situation). You hate to see it."