The road to recovery will be a long one for Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard, rehabbing a torn Achilles in the offseason and 2025-26 campaign.
Lillard suffered the severe injury during the 2025 playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks. It happened in Game 4 of their first-round series against the eventual Finals runners-up, the Indiana Pacers. This caused him to miss the rest of the series as Milwaukee fell in five games.
What surprised many was his exit from the Bucks this offseason. Instead of having him rehab the injury for the 2025-26 season until he returns to assist Giannis Antetokounmpo and the squad, the Milwaukee front office decided to waive and stretch the remainder of his contract to sign Myles Turner away from the Pacers.
This meant that Lillard was a free agent for the first time in his long career. Despite the unique circumstances, this allowed him the opportunity to choose the team that can provide what he needs as he enters the later stages of his NBA career.
Many teams pursued him, but he ultimately decided to return to the team he first called home, the Trail Blazers. He initially represented them from 2012 to 2023, giving them their best stretch of playoff success in the past few decades. This includes a run to the West Finals in 2019, the franchise’s first since 2000.
A member of the Trail Blazers once again, Lillard provided an update on how his Achilles rehab has progressed. From the looks of it, there are ups and downs, but the veteran star has been handling it well.
“It can feel like you’re not having much growth and then, after a couple of weeks, it’ll be like, oh man, I’m walking comfortable,” Lillard said, according to reporter Duane Rankin.
What’s Next For Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
Getty(L-R) General manager Joe Cronin, Damian Lillard and head coach Chauncey Billups pose for a photo during a press conference at Moda Center on July 21, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
It’s fair to believe that Damian Lillard won’t have a prominent role on the court for the Trail Blazers this upcoming season. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t have an impact on helping the younger players develop.
Of the 17 players that are currently on the squad, only six are 26 years or older. Of those six, only three are 30 years or older. Lillard is among the trio alongside Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant.
The Trail Blazers’ best strength is their youth, boasting talented guards in Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Caleb Love among others. This presents a great chance for Lillard to act as a mentor, helping them learn from their mistakes and develop into better players.
Lillard commanded Portland’s squad for 11 seasons, averaging 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and a steal per game after 769 appearances. He shot 43.9% from the field, including 37.2% from beyond the arc, and 89.5% from the free-throw line.
While Lillard’s best days are behind him, he could still have a solid role in the team’s rotation as one of their best perimeter shooters. Portland finished with a 36-46 record last season, a 15-win improvement from the year prior. While playoff contention will be tough for them in the Western Conference, they have a chance to make noise and stun many people with Lillard back in the fold.
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