Report: Dame Lillard Never Wanted to Leave Portland

In a wide-ranging story for ESPN, Jamal Collier writes that returning Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard never really wanted to leave the team in the first place. 

It is so rare these days for a player to stay with one franchise for their entire career. In the age of free agency, that is doubly true if the player is in a small market. 

Damian Lillard, the sixth overall selection for the Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, looked like he would be one of those rare players who stays in one place for their entire career. 

But Lillard was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023, and while he was his usual excellent self for the Bucks, the team was knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. Even worse, Lillard injured his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs and was waived and stretched by Milwaukee. 

In a move that delighted fans across the NBA, Lillard agreed to return to Portland on a three-year deal. After spending two years in Milwaukee, he will have the chance to finish his career where it started. While he won't likely suit up this season, he can still mentor young players like Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. 

According to one source quoted in the story, he never actually wanted to leave. 

Lillard also noted that he didn't think he would be traded, saying, "More than anything, it was miscommunications and misunderstandings. Joe and I never talked about [a potential return]. It just sat out there and we let it be what it was, I think that was the mistake."