Damian Lillard, the long-time face of the Portland Trail Blazers, is in a pivotal moment of his career. He’s currently rehabbing from a torn Achilles. Recently, Lillard was scheduled to meet with Joe Cronin, the general manager of the Trail Blazers, at his Portland home. Day one of this meeting was to get a pulse on Lillard’s mental and physical state through the course of his rehab process. This dialogue encapsulates the unique bond between Lillard and the organization, despite Lillard getting waived by the team shortly after.
As Lillard has taken the long road back to health, he hasn’t taken the path alone. To help him mentally, he reached out to some of the biggest names in sport who have suffered major injuries. Among those were stars like NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Rudy Gay, both of whom have successfully bounced back from Achilles tears. Lillard reached out to NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who shared advice based on his experience with injuries. These consultations further highlight Lillard’s commitment to getting back to his best.
As Lillard enters the next chapter of his career, he’s about to go through a major transition. Age-wise, he’ll be 36 by the time he can officially sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, which he was recently traded to. The Trail Blazers subsequently waived him. Rather than keeping the remaining $113 million on his contract, they decided to eat that money and move on, providing both the player and the organization a reset.
I’m optimistic about this team because Lillard has been this good for a long time. He is averaging 24.6 points and 7.0 assists while shooting 43% from the field. Even with recent struggles, he’s still hopeful to use his experience to help the Blazers’ young lineup. In turn, Lillard exudes tremendous confidence that he’ll turn the culture around in Portland. He hopes to achieve this with future stars like Scoot Henderson and vets like Jrue Holiday.
To make it a successful return, Lillard has asked for a three-year contract to give some leeway as he recovers. This contract features a no-trade clause as well. It includes a 2027 player option, giving him maximum control over his career path.
Lillard’s health adversity began on March 25. That same day, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, prematurely ending his regular season. Only weeks later, he suffered a torn left Achilles, completing a hellish stretch in his career. Lillard continues to maintain that he’s well ahead of schedule in his recovery. He’s employing some interesting drill techniques, such as shooting while sitting down and off one leg.
Looking back on the high and low points of his path, Lillard said he feels most at home with the Trail Blazers. He stated, “It never felt right seeing Damian in a different jersey,” emphasizing his deep emotional connection to the team and the city of Portland. His feelings were mirrored by Joe Cronin, who said, “It didn’t feel right. Not being home.
Lillard’s loyalty to the Blazers is well-chronicled and has been, from the start, the defining feature of his career. He underscored this loyalty when he said, “I see a day where I’ll be in a Trail Blazer uniform again before I’m done.” His belief in the team’s potential for growth is evident, as he highlighted the basketball reasons behind his renewed faith in the franchise.
Despite facing challenges over the years, including frustrations regarding roster upgrades that his agent, Aaron Goodwin, has communicated to the team, Lillard remains hopeful. Goodwin remarked on Lillard’s resilience and work ethic: “I know Dame. I know the desire. I know the fight. I know how hard he works. I didn’t see this as anything that was going to shut down his career.”
We know the road ahead will be hard. Lillard is acutely aware of the mental obstacles he’ll have to clear on the road back from injury. An Eastern Conference coach noted that “the biggest thing for him will be the mental hurdle.” An executive suggested that Lillard may need to adapt his playing style: “He may need to play a role like [Minnesota’s] Mike Conley,” providing guidance for adjusting to new circumstances.
Lillard is absolutely right to be committed to taking next season off to facilitate a complete recovery, both physically and mentally. He stated, “I’m taking next season to check every box and make sure I don’t rush.” Given how complicated the return from a serious, traumatic injury like this can be, it’s no surprise that his approach is cautious and deliberate.
Even though he’s starting this exhilarating new chapter with the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard is still very much tied to the Rose City. He feels that building a long-term championship contender takes all three — patience, time, and collaboration. One source remarked on this journey: “When you talk about winning a championship, it takes time to win a championship.”
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