NBA veteran Damian Lillard is returning to his former team after a dramatic twist involving surgery, free agency, and a contract surprise. Details inside.
NBA veteran Damian Lillard is returning to his former team after a dramatic twist involving surgery, free agency, and a contract surprise. Details inside.
Damian Lillard is making a stunning return to the Portland Trail Blazers. Just a week after being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, the 35-year-old guard is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract with his former team, according to ESPN reports on Thursday. The deal includes a no-trade clause and a player option for the 2027–28 season.
Lillard was waived on July 7 after the Bucks stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract to create salary cap space, ultimately signing free-agent center Myles Turner. The decision marked the end of a short but eventful stint in Milwaukee, where Lillard played just 58 games amid a series of health setbacks.
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The veteran is not expected to play during the 2025–26 season. In May, he underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg, an injury sustained on April 27 during the Bucks’ Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was only his third game back following a month-long absence due to a blood clot in his right calf. He also missed the final 14 games of the regular season.
Despite multiple playoff contenders offering mid-level and veteran minimum contracts, Lillard turned them down. Instead, he opted to return to Portland, a place he still calls home. His family resides in the city, and his bond with the franchise remains deep. Talks between Lillard, Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin, and head coach Chauncey Billups intensified in recent weeks. Sources said all parties aligned quickly on a reunion plan. His longtime agent, Aaron Goodwin, is finalizing the contract details this week.
While sidelined for at least one season, Lillard's earnings remain massive. Between the stretched portion of his Milwaukee salary and the new Portland deal, he will make $70 million next year and $141 million over the next two seasons.
Lillard had originally requested a trade in 2023 when the Trail Blazers initiated a rebuild. He was later traded to Milwaukee in a blockbuster three-team deal that sent Jrue Holiday and rookie Toumani Camara to Portland. Interestingly, Holiday was eventually traded to Boston before being reacquired by Portland this offseason.
With Lillard’s return, the Blazers now form a rejuvenated core consisting of Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson, Camara, and a healthy stock of future draft picks and swaps.
In his lone season with Milwaukee, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds over 58 regular-season games. He owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds across 900 games. He ranks fourth all-time in made three-pointers (2,804) and is eighth among active players in total points scored (22,598).
In Portland, Lillard remains the franchise’s all-time leader in total points and three-pointers made. He also ranks second in assists and played a central role in the team’s eight playoff appearances during his 11-year tenure, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 Western Conference Finals.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, multiple teams were interested in acquiring Lillard via short-term deals. The Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves were among the most aggressive, but neither could offer the unique stability Portland represents for Lillard.
