Damian Lillard Shockingly Returns To Portland in Free Agency

After spending the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, the team traded superstar point guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks to pursue an NBA Championship alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. That title run would never eventuate, and during their NBA Playoffs campaign in 2025, he would suffer a torn achilles injury that would end his season and put the remainder of his career in jeopardy.

Shockingly, the Milwaukee Bucks then released the 35-year old guard in order to sign Myles Turner to a free agency deal, leaving Lillard's future up in the air. Now, we know where his future will play out, and surprisingly, it's in the same place he spent the first 11 seasons of his career, as NBA Insider Shams Charania announced Lillard's new deal on X.

According to Charania, the deal is for three-years carrying a total value of $42 million, and while it's a risk for the Blazers given Lillard's current injury status, it was a no-brainer for the nine-time All Star to return home.

In two years since leaving Portland, Lillard has averaged 25 points and 7 assists a game, very similar to his numbers with the Blazers, but with the achilles injury to contend with, it's unclear if he'll ever be close to the same player that fans came to know and love during his first run. With the return of Jrue Holliday, the Blazers roster is now one of the most intriguing in the NBA, with young stars Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe representing the future of the organization, and now with Lillard's return, they've got a good blend of youth and experience ahead of the 2025/26.

It's uncertain whether or not Lillard will play at all next season, as achilles injuries can take a varied amount of time to recover from, but with the Blazers looking to make a surprise NBA Playoffs appearance in 2025/26 behind this intriguing roster, the hope is that he can return at some point during the season.