Damian Lillard On Trail Blazers: ‘I Couldn’t Be Happier In Portland’

The Portland Trail Blazers brought back Damian Lillard this summer on a three-year, $42 million deal after the Milwaukee Bucks opted to waive and stretch the remaining $103 million left on Lillard’s contract.

Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee in September 2023, despite the nine-time All-Star never wanting to leave Rose City. The 35-year-old has now made it clear that he “couldn’t be happier in Portland.”

Damian Lillard Thrilled To Be Back In Portland

During a recent appearance on “The Sideline with Andy Katz” podcast, Lillard said he’s “extremely happy” and “thankful” to be once again playing for the team that selected him sixth overall in the 2012 draft.

“It’s been great. I’m not an overly expressive person, but I think in my adulthood — coming back here at this time, with the age of my kids, with where the team is — it just feels right. The team has developed and grown over the last couple of years,” Lillard said.

“Being back where I spent the first 11 years of my career — this is one of the times in my life where I feel extremely happy. Every day, I wake up and I’m thankful,” Lillard said.

“I’m waking up seeing my kids, taking them to school. I can just drive down to my mom’s house. It’s a blessing, man. I couldn’t be happier”

Lillard had some individual success with the Bucks, earning All-Star selections in each of his two seasons with the team while averaging 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.

In 58 games (all starts) last season, he averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 36.1 minutes per contest while shooting 44.8% from the floor and 37.6% from 3-point range.

Lillard To Remain Sidelined Until 2026

In March, Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, and he suffered a season-ending tear of his left Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series.

Lillard will be 36 years old when he can return to the court with the Trail Blazers in 2026.

“I try to get into it without fear, while also protecting myself at the same time. I recently started back running — I’m four months out — and I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling good about it,” Lillard added.

“But I’m going to take my time to get all the way back, get it fully healed, get it strong, and feel confident on it. I want to get my body all the way back in shape so that when I return to the floor, I’m not coming back as a shell of myself. I plan to return and be myself.”

Unfortunately for Blazers fans, Lillard might not play like his younger self again.

In 58 games (all starts) with Portland in the 2022-23 campaign, he averaged a career-high 32.2 points on a career-best-tying 46.3% shooting from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc.

He was 32 back then.