One of the most unexpected news stories of the NBA offseason came when Damian Lillard decided to sign with the Portland Trail Blazers. After being bought out by the Milwaukee Bucks, Dame signed a three-year, $41.6 million deal with his former team in one of the most special reunions of the summer. In light of the news, insider Rachel Nichols spoke on it, throwing water on the idea of him ever leaving again.
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If one thing is certain, Lillard’s home has been in Portland ever since he was drafted. It’s where he spent the first 11 years of his career and created countless memories. He created his signature “Dame-Time,” and hit several game-winning shots at the buzzer that live like mythical tales in the heads of Portland fans. Even after he was traded to the Bucks, Dame’s family never left the Pacific Northwest.
Now, back home, Lillard can rehab there for a whole year while he recovers from a ruptured Achilles. Additionally, once healthy, he’ll essentially be on a one-year deal where, if he plays well, he can decline the third-year player option and look for more money.
However, Nichols doesn’t think this will be the outcome we see with Lillard when that time comes.
“I can’t see him leaving Portland again for a possible chance at maybe a title. And honestly, in any team. Even ones that we consider favorites,” Nichols stated on Open Floor.
“A team is one injury away, it is one bad bracket away from not being able to do it. And I just think that taking that chance is something that we might see some players choose not to do anymore,” she added.
When Lillard left the Blazers, it was because he wanted to go to a team that would maximize his potential at winning a championship. But after two seasons that ended with first-round playoff exits in Milwaukee, Dame quickly learned that it wasn’t as easy as pairing up with another dominant force in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That’s why Nichols believes we won’t see a player similar to what Lillard was to Portland leave their community anytime soon.
“Unless it’s the Steph Curry, Kevin Durant teams of the late 2010s, it’s still a dice game,” she said.
It’s a bit of a hot take. The temptation for players to take the Durant route and go chase a championship elsewhere will always be present every offseason. But it would be cool if the game got back to guys being with one team for the majority of their careers.
Lillard going back to Portland just makes sense. It may not be what other fans have wanted to see. They may have wanted him to go to a bigger contender. Yet, he seems happy to be back in the town where he rose to fame. More importantly, though, it’s where his family lives.
“Just knowing that I’m going to be back home for all parts of my life, with my kids, playing for the Trail Blazers, driving on the same streets that I’ve driven on pretty much my entire adulthood, my whole family being here, my mom, my brother, my sisters, all my friends around the city of Portland,” Lillard told ESPN.
It must be a wonderful trip of nostalgia that Dame is currently experiencing in Rose City. He sounds happy to be home finally, and the fans in Portland are also happy to have him again.
All in all, Nichols believes that it was being away from his kids that took the biggest toll on Lillard’s psyche.
“Just being away from his kids was too hard. He was depressed, and it sucked. So, that’s a huge thing for him,” she said.
Then, Nichols made another excellent point.
“Sometimes being a very, very special part of an athletic community and connecting with fans the way Dame and the Portland Trailblazers fans did, that’s just as important as a bunch of the other stuff.”
It’s one of those things that gets lost in translation nowadays. Everyone is so concerned about titles and personal achievements. But sometimes we forget about the other important aspects of a player’s impact. Especially in smaller communities like Portland, a player like Lillard’s contributions go a country mile despite never winning a title.
Moving forward, the Blazers expect Dame to be out for the majority, if not all, of the 2025/26 season. He will continue to rehab and may be able to come back ahead of schedule. But nobody is holding their breath with him at the age of 35.
Still, his presence in the locker room and around the team will be essential for the younger players trying to find their footing. Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan could all use some pointers. Let’s see if Lillard’s presence can help them round out their overall games in the meantime.
