Damian Lillard

NBA Seeking To Tighten Controls On Injury Reporting, Prop Betting

October 27th, 2025 at 11:47am CST by Dana Gauruder

In the aftermath of the FBI’s arrests of Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former player Damon Jones last week, the NBA informed its teams that the league has begun a process of reviewing policies regarding injury reporting, training and education of all personnel, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link). The memo also specifically addresses concerns regarding gambling, with the league exploring ways to enhance internal and external monitoring programs to identify suspicious betting activity.

Injury reporting has jumped into the spotlight in light of the allegations against Billups and Jones. While the most serious allegations against Billups regard his involvement in rigged poker games, Billups was also accused of providing inside information that could potentially be used by others for betting purposes. According to the indictment, an unnamed co-conspirator (Billups) told Eric Earnest, another of the defendants, that the Trail Blazers were going into tank mode ahead of a game on March 24, 2023 and that a certain player, purportedly star guard Damian Lillard, would sit out.

Along similar lines, Jones allegedly informed an unnamed co-conspirator prior to the Lakers‘ game vs. Milwaukee on February 9, 2023 that a specific Laker would miss the game and that the co-conspirator should bet on the Bucks. That player was later identified as LeBron James. James reportedly wasn’t aware that Jones was sharing information about his playing status.

NBA teams typically provide injury reports the day prior to a game but there is a gap in time during game days before the final injury report prior to tip-off is revealed.

The memo also specifically addressed Rozier’s situation. Rozier was accused of essentially taking himself out of a game due to injury so that prop bets on “unders” could be cashed.

The memo obtained by Charania (Twitter link) stated, “While the unusual betting on Terry Rozier’s ‘unders’ in the March 2023 game was detected in real time because the bets were placed legally, we believe there is more that can be done from a legal/regulatory perspective to protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliated leagues. In particular, proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny.”

Prior to the FBI’s arrests, Rozier had been cleared by the league during its investigation and was in uniform for Miami’s opener, though he did not play. Commissioner Adam Silver stated last week the FBI had broader powers to conduct a more thorough investigation. Silver had also expressed growing concerns with regard to prop bets.

Charania shared the entire league memo on social media (Twitter link).

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Future, Turner, Kuzma

October 26th, 2025 at 8:26am CST by Rory Maher

Arguably the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason was the seemingly uncertain future of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who reportedly flirted with the idea of leaving Milwaukee, resulting in brief trade talks with New York, which is said to be his preferred destination if he were to ask to be moved.

When asked about that ESPN report, Antetokounmpo expressed confidence in the Bucks’ revamped roster and made it clear he’s not seeking a change of scenery at this point, but stopped short of stating that he’s committed to Milwaukee for the long term.

As Jamal Collier of ESPN writes, the Bucks insist they’re on the same page with the two-time MVP, and their bold offseason moves were reflective of their desire to keep Antetokounmpo happy. While people around the league were critical of the decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard‘s contract in order to sign Myles Turner in free agency, team sources tell Collier the Bucks were concerned about potentially wasting a year of Antetokounmpo’s prime.

“The biggest misconception is that this was a panic move,” a team source told ESPN. “It wasn’t. It was a basketball decision. Dame on the other end of it, you’re not sure what that was going to look like. Meanwhile, Myles is a perfect fit. We want to win here.”

Antetokounmpo is technically under contract through 2027/28, but that final season is a player option. The 30-year-old forward will be extension-eligible next summer, Collier notes, and there’s an expectation that he will continue to push management to be as aggressive as possible.

“Always got to hold ownership’s feet to the fire,” a source close to Antetokounmpo told ESPN.

Here’s more on the Bucks:

The Raptors threw just about every defensive strategy they could think of at Antetokounmpo on Friday, but none worked in slowing him down, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The Greek star finished with 31 points (on 11-of-14 shooting), 20 rebounds, and seven assists, and was a game-high plus-18 in 38 minutes during the six-point win. Antetokounmpo also became the first player in NBA history to record at least 60 points, 30 rebounds and 10 assists in the first two games of the season, Nehm adds. “I mean, like, he’s the best player in the world in my opinion,” said guard Cole Anthony, who contributed 23 points and seven assists. “He’s a beast. And he’s out there and he just affects the game in so many different ways. … He’s a heck of a player, man. It’s really different getting to see him every day in practice and in games than seeing him a couple times a year. I’m like, ‘Yo, this dude’s a beast.’“
Turner has gotten off to a relatively slow start through two games, averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting just 30% from the floor. But the Bucks have been much better when he’s on the court, he’s contributing in multiple areas (3.5 assists and 2.5 blocks), and he threw down an impressive poster slam (Twitter video link) in Wednesday’s season-opening win against Washington, Nehm writes for The Athletic. “When I played against him, I jumped many times at the pump fake because he’s capable of making that shot,” Antetokounmpo said of Turner. “So, he’s going to pick and choose. Sometimes, he’s going to shoot the three. Sometimes, he’s going to pump fake and get in the paint and make the right pass. And sometimes, he’s going to dunk on somebody’s head. And that’s what he did (Wednesday). Incredible play.”
Veteran forward Kyle Kuzma exited Friday’s game in Toronto with a left ankle ankle sprain and did not return, the team announced (Twitter link via Nehm). It’s unclear if Kuzma will miss additional time as a result of the injury.

Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups Placed On Leave By NBA

October 23rd, 2025 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Terry Rozier and Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups have been placed on immediate leave from their respective teams, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the league said in a statement. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

As we detailed in a pair of stories earlier today, Rozier and Billups were arrested on Thursday morning as part of a pair of separate but related federal investigations into illegal gambling. Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones was also among those arrested.

Law enforcement officials, including U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., stated during a press conference on Thursday that Rozier and Jones were among six individuals arrested in connection with a scheme to use insider information to make illegal bets on NBA games. Billups and Jones were among 31 individuals arrested in connection with a plot to rig illegal, mafia-run poker games.

A total of 34 arrests were made on Thursday, with three people – including Jones – linked to both investigations. Those arrests are the result of a multi-year, wide-ranging series of probes into illegal gambling. According to Nocella, the NBA has cooperated with the investigations, per Oskar Garcia of The Athletic.

Rozier and Billups are both reportedly being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering and will appear in federal court on Thursday in Florida and Oregon, respectively.

Here are several more details on the cases, from the Department of Justice’s indictment:

Rozier is accused of telling co-defendant Deniro Laster that he would remove himself during the first quarter of a game on March 23, 2023, when he was a member of the Hornets, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. According to the DOJ, Laster was paid $100K for sharing that information with another defendant, Marves Fairley. The tip was then allegedly shared with others, with a total of $259K in prop bets wagered by the group on Rozier going “under” several statistical benchmarks. The indictment states that winnings were delivered to Rozier’s home, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic.
According to the indictment, an unnamed co-conspirator told Eric Earnest, another of the defendants, that the Trail Blazers were going into tank mode ahead of a game on March 24, 2023 and that a certain player would sit out, according to Vorkunov. While that player wasn’t specifically identified, Blazers guard Damian Lillard missed that March 24 game due to a calf issue and was shut down a few days later for the rest of the season. To be clear, if Lillard was the player in question, it just means that information about his status was shared, not that he was in any way involved in sharing it.
Along similar lines, Jones allegedly informed an unnamed co-conspirator prior to the Lakers‘ game vs. Milwaukee on February 9, 2023 that a specific Laker would miss the game and that the co-conspirator should bet on the Bucks. As Mike Prada of The Athletic writes, LeBron James was ruled out for that game (and, eventually, the next two) due to ankle soreness. Jones wasn’t a Lakers employee at the time, but had access to team spaces, including planes and locker rooms, because he worked with James, his former Cavs teammate, says Dan Woike of The Athletic. James wasn’t aware that Jones was sharing information about his playing status, a source tells The Athletic.
There were also bets illegally placed ahead of a Magic game on April 6, 2023, according to the DOJ (Twitter link via Vorkunov), after one of the defendants who had a relationship with a Magic player learned that Orlando wouldn’t be playing its starters that day.
As for the allegations against Billups, Nocella described him as one of the celebrity “face cards” that organizers used to attract “fish” (potential victims) to play in rigged poker games. The indictment states that the so-called “face cards” in those games “received a portion of the criminal proceeds in exchange for their participation.” Various technology – including a rigged shuffling machine, X-ray tables, and special eyeglasses – was allegedly used to rig the games.
According to David Purdum of ESPN, prosecutors claimed that Billups helped organize and played in games in Las Vegas in April 2019 that used a rigged shuffling machine. He was also allegedly wired $50K after participating in a rigged game in October 2020.

NBA GMs Expect Thunder To Repeat, Jokic To Win Fourth MVP

October 9th, 2025 at 3:04pm CST by Rory Maher

NBA general managers view the Thunder as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions this season, according to the 24th annual GM survey conducted by John Schuhmann of NBA.com. GMs were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel.

Eighty percent of general managers predicted Oklahoma City to win the 2026 NBA Finals, with the Cavaliers and Nuggets tied for second at 7% each. The Rockets and Knicks were the only other teams to receive votes.

If the Thunder do go back-to-back, they would be the first repeat champions since Golden State in 2018.

Still, it’s worth noting that 83% of GMs thought Boston would win its second consecutive title in 2025 during last year’s edition of the survey, and the Celtics wound up being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is heavily favored to win his fourth award in 2025/26. The Nuggets superstar received 67% of the vote and was also tabbed as the league’s best center (maximum possible 97%), best international player (93%), best passer (80%), the player with the best basketball IQ (80%), and the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (57%).

NBA GMs view Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson as the league’s most athletic player (58%) and most versatile defender (18%), as well as the player most likely to have a breakout season (30%).

For the second straight year, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was tabbed as the best player to build a franchise around, receiving 83% of the vote. The French center was also voted the league’s best defender (80%) and tied with Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league’s most versatile player (30% apiece).

Unsurprisingly, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg is the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year, claiming the maximum 97% of the vote. General managers also think he’s the rookie who will be the best player five years from now (93%).

Fifty-three percent of GMs surveyed think the Hawks made the best offseason moves, while 47% believe the Magic will be the most improved team this season.

According to general managers, Milwaukee made by far the two most surprising offseason moves: waiving and stretching Damian Lillard (43%), and subsequently signing Myles Turner in free agency (30%).

Schuhmann’s survey is worth checking out in full and can be found right here.

Blazers Notes: Lillard, Henderson, Grant, Camara, Clingan, More

September 29th, 2025 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked at the Trail Blazers‘ media day on Monday if there’s any scenario in which he plays this season, Damian Lillard admitted it’s hard to envision making it back from his Achilles tear before the 2026/27 campaign.

“I don’t plan on it,” Lillard said of playing in ’25/26, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). “I feel like if this team is a one seed (without me), they probably got it. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible.”

Lillard added that the trainers and other players who have sustained Achilles injuries who have spoken to him about the recovery process have stressed patience and suggested that he shouldn’t be trying to make it back “in record time” (Twitter link via Highkin).

Although he almost certainly won’t be suiting up for the Trail Blazers this season, Lillard will still be one of the 15 players on the team’s standard roster, which head coach Chauncey Billups believes puts the longtime star point guard in a unique position when it comes to mentoring Portland’s younger players.

“He’s not a coach. He’s still a player. There’s a different level of connectivity that comes with that,” Billups said, noting that he wants Lillard to “keep a really close eye” on Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and Scoot Henderson (Twitter link via Highkin).

Henderson, like Lillard, will be unavailable when the season begins, though his hamstring injury is only projected to keep him out for the start of the season, not all of it. Speaking on Monday to reporters, he referred to the injury as a “freak accident” and “minor setback” and said he’s still feeling positive about the season (Twitter links). Billups noted it’s a disappointing turn of events for the former No. 3 overall pick because he’d had an “incredible summer” prior to the injury (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the Blazers’ media day, via Highkin:

Billups said on Monday that there are “a lot of ways” the Trail Blazers’ starting lineup could go this fall and that the players who want starting jobs will have to earn them (Twitter link). Interestingly, when forward Jerami Grant was asked about the possibility of coming off the bench, he replied, “I don’t really expect that” (Twitter link). There had been some speculation this offseason that Grant could be asked to accept a reserve role due to the emergence of young forwards Avdija and Toumani Camara.
Speaking of Camara, he’s eligible to sign a contract extension but said on Monday that he’s leaving that up to his agent. “I’m just focused on basketball,” Camara said (Twitter link). “I’m trying to stay away from that right now. If I take care of my business on the court, everything will work itself out.”
With Deandre Ayton no longer in Portland, second-year center Donovan Clingan will be looking to play a major role. He said on Monday that he has worked on improving his conditioning and is aiming to average 30-plus minutes per night (Twitter link). Rookie big man Yang Hansen will be among the players vying for minutes in the middle, with Billups referring to the No. 16 overall pick as “right there in the mix” for minutes. “I think Hansen’s done a really good job of getting situated and understanding what we’re doing,” Billups said (Twitter link). “He’s definitely going to play.”
Big man Robert Williams, who underwent a procedure on his knee in March and has been limited to 26 games in two seasons since arriving in Portland, said he’s not sure when he’ll be cleared to play, though he and the training staff have a target date in mind (Twitter links).
Jrue Holiday and Matisse Thybulle are among the players who expressed enthusiasm on Monday about the defensive potential of the Blazers’ roster (Twitter links). “Playing games in your mind of what lineups we can put out there is pretty fun,” Thybulle said. “We have a few All-Defense-level players. I think we can put some ridiculous lineups out there.”

Trail Blazers Notes: Camp, Yang, Sharpe, Porter, B. Grant

September 28th, 2025 at 2:20pm CST by Rory Maher

It has been an extremely busy and eventful offseason for the Trail Blazers, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who lists five things he’ll be keeping a close eye on when training camp starts this week.

The first item on Highkin’s list is Yang Hansen, the 7’1″ center who was surprisingly drafted 16th overall after largely being projected as a second-round pick. Yang looked more ready to contribute than anticipated during Summer League action, Highkin notes, but it’s hard to read much into that performance — the real tests will begin soon.

While Damian Lillard won’t play at all this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, Highkin is curious to see how the franchise’s all-time leading scorer will impact his teammates behind the scenes. Who will be part of the starting lineup and whether or not Kris Murray or Rayan Rupert can carve out rotation roles in their third seasons are among the other storylines Highkin will be monitoring.

Here are a few more notes from Portland:

Within the same story, Highkin says he’s skeptical about the Blazers and Shaedon Sharpe agreeing to a rookie scale extension before the season begins. Although Highkin views the Canadian guard as “the most talented player” on the roster, he writes that Sharpe hasn’t been able to consistently perform at a high level to this point in his career. If the 22-year-old doesn’t sign an extension by October 20, he will be a restricted free agent in 2026.
In a story for The Players’ Tribune he wrote in Chinese and then had translated to English, which he’s still learning, Yang describes his upbringing in Zibo (Shangdong province), China, and his journey to being drafted by Portland. One interesting tidbit: Yang says he has been closely studying Nikola Jokic for the past three years and has patterned his game to imitate the Serbian star.
The Trail Blazers recently announced several additions and promotions in their basketball operations department. Most notably, longtime Blazers point guard and ex-NBA head coach Terry Porter will serve as a scout this season, while former Blazers forward Brian Grant will hold the title of basketball liaison — he will be an off-court mentor to players. Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, who first reported that Porter and Grant would be returning to the organization in an official capacity, has more details on their specific positions.

Jrue Holiday ‘Excited’ About Joining Blazers, Not Thinking About Retirement

September 22nd, 2025 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Although one report in June claimed that Jrue Holiday wasn’t thrilled about being traded from Boston to Portland, there has been no indication since then that the veteran guard is unhappy about his new situation. Speaking to DJ Siddiqi of RG.org, Holiday expressed enthusiasm about the coming season and about the talent on the Trail Blazers‘ roster.

“The goal is to win and to make some noise,” Holiday said. “I think that after the last few years of what has happened after Damian Lillard being traded — and then now Dame’s back — I think it’s an exciting time here in Portland. It’s an exciting time to be a Trail Blazer, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Holiday, who has three years and $104.4MM left on his contract, was traded straight up for Anfernee Simons, who is on an expiring $27.7MM deal. It was a financially motivated move for the Celtics. For Portland, it was an opportunity to bring in a championship-winning veteran to lead by example for the team’s rising young guards, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, who are 21 and 22 years old, respectively.

“I don’t think y’all understand, like, Scoot and Shaedon are so athletic and so smart the way that they play the game,” Holiday told Siddiqi. “They’re going to be so good, and I feel like all they need is time. I feel like the time is now, because they have all the tools. I’m super excited to play with them.”

Holiday won’t be the only veteran mentor for those young guards — Lillard returned to the Blazers this summer after spending two years in Milwaukee, and head coach Chauncey Billups is a Hall of Famer who made five All-Star teams and won an NBA Finals MVP as a point guard. Holiday is looking forward to teaming up with both of them, noting that he admired how Billups played the game.

“I’m old enough to have watched him play,” Holiday said. “He was one of the guys who I wouldn’t necessarily say mirrored my game after. But I felt like I played similar to how he played. He was very smart, he was obviously more than solid on one side of the ball. The way that he thinks the game, I feel like I think the game the same way. … How he controlled the game just from his personality, and you can see as a coach, he’s kind of brought that over from as a player to a coach and instilled it.”

Billups spent 17 seasons playing in the NBA, which will be the benchmark that Holiday reaches in 2025/26. However, asked by Siddiqi how much longer he wants to play, the former UCLA standout suggested that retirement isn’t in his short-term plans.

“Just kind of going with it,” Holiday said. “I’ve been blessed enough to play for this long, and I’ve never taken that for granted. I know this is a dream come true for most young kids, but I know 17 years is a dream come true for any 35-year-old who gets a chance to stay as healthy as possible and to play the game that they love. I’ll just continue playing until I can’t anymore.”

Damian Lillard ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ To Be In Portland

September 17th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.”

Trail Blazers Notes: Lillard, Williams, Centers, Sale Process

August 9th, 2025 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The three-year contract that brought Damian Lillard back to Portland contains a rare no-trade clause. In a mailbag column, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (subscriber link) speculates on why the Trail Blazers were willing to include it.

Highkin notes that Lillard has talked about his personal reasons for wanting to return to the Pacific Northwest, which allows him to be close to his children as he wraps up his career. The no-trade clause gives him the security of knowing he won’t have to change teams again unless he wants to.

Highkin suggests that general manager Joe Cronin may have believed it was necessary to offer the no-trade clause to help regain Lillard’s trust after sending him to Milwaukee in the summer of 2023 when his first choice was to go to Miami. Highkin also notes that it might have been a tradeoff for Lillard accepting less money than he was eligible to get. Lillard will make $14.1MM on his MLE deal this season before declining to $13.4MM the following year and returning to $14.1MM in 2027/28. With maximum 5% raises, he could have earned about $2.8MM more.

In response to a separate question, Highkin admits there’s reason to be skeptical about whether Lillard can resume being an elite scorer after he returns from the injury. He offers a comparison to Kobe Bryant, who was also 35 when he tore his Achilles, but notes that medical advances over the past 12 years will work in Lillard’s favor, along with the fact that he plans to take 18 months to recover.

There’s more from Portland:

Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen will see most of the center minutes, while Robert Williams III will be a wild card, Highkin adds in the same piece. Williams has played 26 combined games during his two seasons in Portland, but Highkin says he’s healthy this summer. He’ll likely see limited minutes and won’t be used in back-to-backs, but he should be at least a part-time factor in the middle.
The Trail Blazers are being very guarded about their sale process, Highkin adds in a separate mailbag. He doesn’t expect any details about potential buyers to be leaked before a sale agreement is in place, but he expects the franchise to go for at least $4 billion.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson had a 30-minute phone call with commissioner Adam Silver on June 4 to discuss the city’s commitment to keeping the Trail Blazers, according to Andrew Theen of Oregon Public Broadcasting. The call took place about three weeks after plans were announced to sell the franchise. Cody Bowman, a spokesperson for the mayor, said Wilson has “been working closely” with team officials throughout the sale process.

Lillard Reunion With Blazers Facilitated By 2024 Meeting Between Agent, GM

August 5th, 2025 at 9:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The seeds for Damian Lillard‘s reunion with the Trail Blazers were planted during his first season with the Bucks, as ESPN’s Jamal Collier details.

Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, and Portland general manager Joe Cronin spoke in January 2024. During that conversation, they identified the gaps in their communication and agreed there were no hard feelings between the parties.

Lillard requested a trade to the Heat in the summer of 2023. When that trade failed to materialize by September, Goodwin told the Blazers that Lillard would stay in Portland. However, the front office wanted to resolve the situation by training camp and traded him to Milwaukee.

“More than anything, it was miscommunications and misunderstandings,” Lillard said. “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.”

Lillard always saw himself ending his career with the Blazers, even before he was dealt. The reunion came in unexpected fashion after Lillard suffered a torn Achilles during this past season’s playoffs. Milwaukee decided to waive him and use the stretch provision, allowing the Bucks to make a bold free agent signing, securing top available center Myles Turner.

Collier reports that trading Lillard had been a consideration for Milwaukee if he did not suffer a long-term injury. The Bucks’ front office considered a number of different strategies, with a Lillard trade viewed as a last-ditch attempt to find another star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Lillard chose to return to Portland on a three-year, $42MM contract after being waived. Cronin met Lillard at his Portland home to check on how he was doing, both mentally and physically with the rehab of his torn Achilles and spoke of the team’s progress during its rebuild. At that time, Lillard expressed that he felt the Blazers were on the upswing. An agreement was reached a short time later.

Lillard is expected to spend the entire 2025/26 season rehabbing the injury. Goodwin believes he’ll come back strong.

“It’s Dame. I know Dame,” he said. “I know the desire. I know the fight. I know how hard he works. And I didn’t see this as anything that was going to shut down his career. It’s going to be something that was going to maybe even prolong his career because he goes so hard that he’s got to give his body a break.”

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