Topic overview
Briefly
- Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
- The Bucks waived Lillard in July 2025, and he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers two weeks later
- Lillard previously warned critics would regret it if he ever won a championship with Portland.
What happened
The 2024-25 NBA season proved catastrophic for Damian Lillard, whose championship aspirations with the Milwaukee Bucks ended in physical devastation. During Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Lillard suffered a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that typically requires extensive rehabilitation and carries no guarantee of returning to previous performance levels. The severity of this injury prompted the Bucks to make the difficult decision to waive the nine-time All-Star in July 2025, ending his brief tenure alongside two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. This partnership, which had generated considerable excitement when Lillard joined Milwaukee, failed to deliver the championship both parties had envisioned. The abrupt ending in Milwaukee set the stage for an unexpected homecoming that would reshape the narrative of Lillard's career.
Approximately two weeks after his release from the Bucks, Lillard signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, the franchise where he had spent the first eleven years of his professional career. This reunion carries significant emotional weight given Lillard's history with the organization, which includes winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2013, earning All-NBA First Team honors in 2018, and receiving seven of his All-Star selections while wearing a Trail Blazers uniform. The signing represents both a fresh start for the player and a potential redemption arc for a franchise that had moved on from its longtime cornerstone. Portland's current roster features promising talent including big man Donovan Clingan and forward Deni Avdija, providing Lillard with a supporting cast that could help facilitate his comeback campaign.
A resurfaced podcast clip from Lillard's appearance on the "Point Forward" show has added intrigue to his return, as the guard issued what now reads as a prophetic warning to the rest of the league. Lillard stated that critics would never give him proper credit unless he won a championship in Portland, adding that opponents "better pray I don't win a championship for the Blazers" and suggesting there is a side of him that people have not yet seen. These comments, made years before his injury and subsequent return, have taken on new significance as Lillard prepares to back up his words with action. Recent footage circulating on social media shows Lillard in the gym executing sophisticated moves to create driving lanes for layups while also demonstrating his characteristic range by knocking down three-pointers against defensive pressure, suggesting his rehabilitation has progressed well.
The NBA has scheduled Lillard's first official regular-season game back in a Trail Blazers uniform for October 21 against the Phoenix Suns, a contest that will serve as an early measuring stick for his recovery. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst has offered a measured assessment of Portland's prospects, projecting the team will reach the NBA Play-In Tournament but expressing doubt they will exceed 43 wins. Lillard's return coincides with other notable comebacks around the league, including Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is also working his way back from a serious injury. The convergence of these rehabilitation stories adds a layer of unpredictability to the upcoming season, as the basketball world waits to see whether these All-Star talents can recapture the form that made them among the most dynamic players in the sport.
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