Damian Lillard had been expecting to play the next two seasons in Milwaukee, but he’s very pleased to be back with the Trail Blazers after the unusual turn of events that ended his time with the Bucks. Appearing on Monday’s episode of The Sideline with Andy Katz (hat tip to Bleacher Report), Lillard talked about how much he enjoys being in Portland again at this stage of his career.
“I’m not an overly expressive person,” Lillard said, “but I think in my adulthood, coming back at here at this time, with the age of my kids, where the team is— they’ve developed and grown over the last couple years— being back where I’ve been for the first 11 years of my career, this is one of the times where I feel extremely happy. Every day I wake up and I’m thankful. I’m waking up seeing my kids, taking them to school. I can just drive down to my mom’s house. I couldn’t be happier.”
Lillard’s connections with the Blazers appeared to end two summers ago when a contentious relationship developed after he requested a trade. He was hoping to go to Miami, but Portland general manager Joe Cronin wasn’t impressed by any of the Heat’s offers. The standoff lasted almost the entire offseason before Lillard was shipped to Milwaukee.
Although he was excited about the prospect of teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, injuries to both players prevented their on-court relationship from fully flourishing. The Bucks won 49 and 48 games in Lillard’s two seasons with the team – Milwaukee’s worst regular season results since 2017/18 – and lost in the first round of the playoffs in both years.
Last season went off track when Lillard was sidelined in March with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. He was able to work his way back for the playoffs, but he suffered an Achilles tear that’s expected to keep him out of action for the upcoming season.
Desperate to find a way to remain competitive, the Bucks made a controversial decision to waive and stretch the final two years of Lillard’s contract and used the extra money to sign free agent center Myles Turner.
“I had surgery, I jumped right into the things that they allow me to do,” Lillard told Katz in describing the recovery process. “The moment that I’m allowed to do it, I do it. And I try to get into it without fear, and also protecting myself at the same time.
“I recently started back running, and I’m four months out. So I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling good about it. But I’m going to take my time to get all the way back, get it all the way healed, get it back strong, feel good on it, get my body all the way back right, so that when I return to the floor I’m not returning as a shell of myself. I plan to return and be myself.”
Why did you leave then? Setting Portland back
Why wouldn’t he try something else? It’s business, not a marriage. So many factors other than dame setting ripcity back.
Dame said what he believed the team needed & Joe Cronin said the same thing & then Cronin went completely in the other direction & giving Dame no reason to stay.
odds they are going to trade him in a salary dump before he even plays a game? lol
Doesn’t he have a full no trade clause?
Ah, you are correct, I was mistaken. I retract that comment.
His contracts below water so they’d be dumping assets as well
His market was the 2 year TPMLe before Portland decided to quadruple it while giving him an absurd player option year 3 – He’s going nowhere
Portland is not doing well financially. The city is hurting and so are the blazers. Bringing back Dame was for the casual fans to show up and buy tickets next year. It’s for a boost of economy when taking care of one of their players who stuck it out with the team. I have no problem with it because Dame is completely done and cooked as a player. He already was heading to back up score off the bench over the next two years which I don’t think you would have took that role if you wanted to win a championship. Both dame and Portland (blazers) we’ll scratch each other’s back by being able to promote him and he gets paid by doing it and riding off in the sunset with some extra cash.
That’s totally fair and on point Buckets
I still wouldn’t have done it , they have nice pieces growing up there , the cash plays better than it ever has – I get the short gains but put a winner out there by mid season 2027 the fans will come no matter who”s in uni – By no means detrimental but if I was a Portland fan I’d want the mystery box for Dames cash/roster spot
I agree I wouldn’t have signed him either, but basketball is a Business and the blazers really don’t have a sensor direction right now or a player that they can build around. They’re stuck in the worst thing you can be which is purgatory meaning they are in the middle of the pack. Not good enough to get in the playoffs and build and also not bad enough towards they can get a top pick. Scoop sharp and all those guys are like third and fourth starters. None of those are your one or two guys on the team, so without a one or two they’re pretty much a bunch of decent players and that’s not going to get it done. So that’s why they brought in dame to sell tickets.
I mean, he’s a great vet and can be a leader in the locker room for a bunch of young players. There’s a lot of value in that. Especially when he wants to be in Portland. A lot of vets normally wouldn’t want to play in Portland, and that vibe rubs off poorly on all the young players.
The team just sold for $4.25 billion. What on earth are you rambling about?
Who me? What is selling for 4.2 billion have to do with not trying to make day-to-day money. Professional sports teams are like real estate. Seeing how I own some real estate and you’re renting out place out, that’s what a professional sport team is like. The main money you make is when you sell your property after owning it for 10 to 15 years. But while you’re renting it out some years you’ll make money and some years you won’t. Overall you try to have more years where you make money and have a good cash flow. The same thing with an NBA team. They bought the team for 4.2 billion and they’re going to try to sell it for $8 billion and 10 to 15 years. But in the meantime the goal is to try to make money year over year and some years the owners actually really don’t make any money after paying players and staff and everybody else. So bringing in Dame will help with the margins for the next two team with the week roster that they have read my comment then I just posted up above if you want to understand what I’m saying about the roster
Isn’t he put for the season?
Enjoy Portland Dame. Winning a championship was never a priority to you.
So by that argument…no player will ever sign with NY if they want a championship.
washed up and getting paid by two teams. id be happier than hell too
Well, we’re all probably at least washed here on HR :)
He’s happy to be sitting on a mountain of cash.