Returning from a 500-day hiatus and a torn Achilles, the 36-year-old superstar requires a disciplined ramp-up to ensure he remains explosive alongside Ja Morant for a postseason push.
The Portland Trail Blazers not only added Ja Morant to their backcourt this offseason, but Damian Lillard is also set to make his return after Portland acquired him last season and allowed him to continue rehabbing in familiar surroundings.
It’s an encouraging setup for the Blazers. They now have two dynamic, high-level guards with extensive NBA experience, and Lillard is expected to enter training camp without limitations after fully recovering from his torn Achilles. By opening night, it will have been more than 500 days since he last played in an NBA game.
But there’s one key consideration Portland has to make when it comes to integrating Lillard. Just because he can play from Day 1 doesn’t mean the Blazers should immediately treat him like the old Lillard.
At 36 years old and coming off one of the most significant injuries a basketball player can suffer, the biggest goal should be having Lillard healthy when it matters most. Easing him into the lineup should be a priority. It’s less about whether he’s fully recovered from the Achilles injury and more about the fact that his body hasn’t gone through the grind of an NBA game, much less an 82-game season, in more than 500 days.
It’s not uncommon for players returning from major injuries to need time to regain game conditioning because it’s nearly impossible to replicate NBA speed and physicality during rehab. Furthermore, if Portland wants to reduce the chances of another injury popping up as Lillard ramps back up, taking a measured approach with his minutes, role and rotations makes sense.
That may be a tough pill to swallow for Blazers fans who have waited more than a year to see Lillard back on the floor in Portland, but the priority shouldn’t be having him play 35 minutes on opening night. What matters much more is having him available for a late-season push and potentially the playoffs.
The last time Lillard was healthy, he averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists for the Milwaukee Bucks while shooting nearly 38% from three during the 2024-25 season. He may not immediately look like that version of himself for Portland, and it’s possible he never completely returns to that level, but there’s still tremendous value in giving him time to reacclimate to NBA speed after a full season away.
His shooting should translate quickly. The rest of his game may take more time.
And if Lillard can eventually settle into being a quality scoring option and high-level perimeter spacer who creates more room for players like Deni Avdija and Morant to attack downhill, this could end up being a phenomenal situation for both Lillard and the Blazers.
