Introduction
The return of the franchise’s all-time leading scorer has Lillard’s fans seething with joy, and the entire NBA on alert. He is set to return to the city that put him on the map. Esports.com reported on the 17th of July, 2025, that Lillard had signed a deal to once again play for the Portland Trail Blazers, marking this is the second time he will be joining a team after leaving for one. The two-way deal is worth 42 million dollars over three years with a player option for the 27-28 season, as well as a no trade clause. Lillard is set to receive and additional 6 million dollars if the team trades him, estimated to be 48 million in total for the last year under the two way contract.
Lillard’s expected return to Portland is more than a transaction, it’s the end of a decade long injury curve for Portland and her fans. After suffering an Achilles rupture in 2025 while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, he was thought to be done with basketball, but he miraculously kept returning. Now at age 35, he has quit all his stops and starts with Keezu and has put some muscles on to shed the injury induced weight.
After Turner became available, the Milwaukee Bucks released him, thus allowing him to choose his next team. Choosing between the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat, Lillard picked Milwaukee due to his family and legacy values. In this article, I examine Lillard's tremendous impact on the city, the Blazers, and discuss what this remarkable signing means for Portland and its supporters.
A Trail Blazer Chronicle
Damian Lillard was selected 6th overall pick in 2012 by the Portland Trail Blazers and immediately established himself as their superstar. He pushed the Portland Trail Blazers franchise, which had suffered for years with repeated mediocrity, to recover from the depths of the league. Winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, Lillard guided the Blazers to 8 postseason appearances, including a deep run to the Western Conference Finals in 2018-2019. Perhaps the defining moment of his career was the 37 foot “buzzer-beater” against Oklahoma City Thunder, marking him as one of the league’s most fearless players.
Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds throughout 11 seasons in Portland, including 19,376 total points and 2,387 three-pointers, setting franchise records.
He holds the record for the most points scored by a Blazer with 71 points during a game against the Houston Rockets in 2023. He was awarded the seven-time All Star Selection as well as claimed seven All-NBA honors, in addition to being named as a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 which furthered solidified Lillard's status as a generational talent.
Portland's Lillard was more than just a great basketball player for Portland; he was connected to the city in a unique way. Dressed as its an underdog, the singer developed strong connections with the people and the city. With the deep appreciation he had for Rip City, Lillard's loyalty to the City and its people was something no one had seen. Although Milwaukee traded him in 2023, he still spent time in Portland where his three children continued to live.
Milwaukee Chapter: Dream Delayed
Portland let go of Lillard as part of a massive trade with the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for draft picks. While this did not work out his initial wish to play for the Miami Heat, it did give him the opportunity to fight for the championship he wanted. This trade brought Holiday and Camara to Portland but did not go smoothly. This is because not only did Lillard not want to go to the Bucks, he felt that he was misled about dealing with two other franchises in the rebuilding stage around him in the Blazers and Spurs.
Lillard partnered with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee with hopes of chasing the elusive championship ring, but the partnership was rather underwhelming. A blood clot in his right leg and torn left Achilles tendon in April 2025 led to Lillard being sidelined for two and a half seasons, during which he could only play 58 games. Although he was still able to maintain a staggering average of 24.9 points and 7.1 assists, Milwaukee’s organizational turmoil, including midseason coaching changes from Adrian Griffin to Doc Rivers, plagued the teams performance alongside their first round playoff exits in both 2024 and 2025.
Losing Lillard to an injury waiver on July 1, 2025 also came as a shock to the entire league. Although Milwaukee was able to now sign Myles Turner, the bucks were now shackled to an unpowered Lillard, who was free to roam as an unrestricted free agent recovering from his injury. With the Bucks opting to stretch his remaining $113 Million contract over 5 years, they were not only relinquished of Lillard but shackled to him at the same time. Regardless of the uncertainty, Lillard was ecstatic to find a silver lining to reclaim control over his future.
Why Portland? The Pull of Home
Lillard’s choice to come back to Portland was mostly due to personal and emotional considerations. While with the Bucks, his family stayed in Portland and he had plans to rehabilitate his Achilles injury in the city.
The monetary breakdown of the deal also has some importance. Lillard is slated to earn around $70 million between the Milwaukee contract and Portland’s $14.1 mid-level exception for the 2025-26 season, even while injured for parts of the 2024-2025 season. The three-year $42 million contract coupled with a player option for the 2027-28 season and a no-trade clause (which he shares with LeBron James) allows Lillard uncommon flexibility regarding his future decisions.
Lillard's Portland Roots Shining Through
The underlying emotion concerning Lillard’s connection to Portland was huge. His Instagram reveal where he showcased a video of the Trail Blazers’ locker room rotating to a nameplate with “Together Again” highlighted the feelings associates with the return pretty well. Lillard’s enthusiastic shout of “RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! @trailblazers” brought the crowds with over 36,000 people liking it within a few hours. One notable X user said the dame coming back to Portland to retire “was written in the stars.”
Marking Portland as the Blazer's pivot point to his nostalgic feel is both an acknowledgment and is an attempt for a team undergoing transformation. Portland has entered a rebuild phase. Portland has brought in young players such as Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and rookie center Yang Hansen. They also brought in Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics in a mid-season deal.
Even while recovering, Lillard is expected to help immensely. His leadership and work ethic will aid in mentoring young players, especially Henderson, who was drafted in 2023 which triggered Lillard’s trade demands. The irony of Lillard's locker being next to Henderson’s highlights the chances of a mentor-student relationship growing. Along with Holiday, another consummate professional, Lillard will help foster a winning culture for a team trying to escape the depths of the Western Conference standings.
Still, the move brings up concerns regarding basketball strategy. Lillard's age and injury status put his ability to return to All-Star form in question. Achilles injuries have historically claimed mid-30s players, as evidenced by Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson missing multiple seasons due to their recoveries. If Lillard does come back in 2026-27, will he be starting or will Henderson and Sharpe take precedence over him? Considered by some analysts, Portland investing in a star with a long rehab ahead doesn't seem to fit the timeline of the rebuilding strategy the team is currently pursuing.
While on the other end of the spectrum, Lillard's contract is cap-friendly as it sits under the mid-level exception. Should he get back to his previous form, something that could be beneficial would be receiving trade offers, thus allowing Portland to pivot if necessary.
Fan and Community Response
The Portland community embraced Lillard when he returned to play for the Bucks in 2024, showering him with video tributes and standing ovations at the Moda Center, exemplifying his lasting fame. Social media platforms were flooded with emotional tributes praising the reunion as “therapeutic” and “a love letter to Rip City.” Lillard received support from various celebrities, including his former teammate CJ McCollum and Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who highlighted Lillard’s strong presence in both the NBA and his community.
Reactions from the rest of the NBA are much more divided. Some supporters view Lillard’s reunion with the Blazers as an act of loyalty in a predominantly business-driven league and compare the move to LeBron James’ return to Cleveland or Dwyane Wade’s reunion with the Heat. Other fans take the opposite approach and argue that Lillard should have exercised his option to chase a ring on a super team. Despite the divide, fans who admire “authenticity” appreciate Lillard’s choice to prioritize legacy over championships.
What Lies Ahead for Lillard and the Blazers?
Most likely, Lillard’s first order of business will be rehabilitation therapy as he recovers for the 2025-26 season. His previously filmed-driven mindset suggests that he will approach this challenge with a great deal of effort, much like how he has in the past regarding injuries and leading Portland through roster restrictions into the playoffs.
From the Blazers’ perspective, Lillard returning is a middle ground between what was once the team’s success and what is hopefully to come. The 2023 trade provisions such as a 2029 first-round pick and two pick swaps from Milwaukee, give the Blazers a solid foundation for future picks. If either Henderson or Sharpe becomes a standout performer, Lillard could embrace the role of a seasoned player helping steer the team to play-in or playoff contention. If that does not happen, the flexible nature of his contract could still allow the team to make some moves down the line.
This resurption of activity
Conclusively, Damian Lillard returning to the Portland Trail Blazers is an example of the loving connection that can exist between a player and an entire city. This is a special occasion in the NBA world since loyalty is usually come after titles and contracts. For Lillard, this homecoming is reuniting with family. For the fans they would get to see their hero wear the red and black colors once again even with uncertainty to his impact on the court. While Lillard rehabs his injury and shifts to a coaching role for Portland’s young stars, the hope is that he will restore the spirit of a franchise and community that had not stopped praying and believing in “Dame Time.”
Focusing on the first question, the team can either go on a playoff series winning streak or say a friendly goodbye, regardless , the fact stands that the tale of Damian Lillard in Portland is still waiting out there to be told. King Lillard is welcomed back with open arms and unfathomable excitement in Rip City.