Damian Lillard ended up turning a lot of heads with his most recent statement regarding the potential of the current Portland Trail Blazers roster. Although Lillard spent the majority of his career with the Blazers, he joined the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2023-24 season with the hopes of winning an NBA championship.
The Bucks ended up waiving Lillard after he tore his Achilles and he fell short last season, leaving the Blazers free to make him an offer to reunite with his old team and return home.
Although Lillard’s homecoming alone is enough to give the Blazers more attention, many fans are left wondering what expectations and hopes the veteran point guard has for his squad.
Damian Lillard Truly Believes in the Current Portland Trail Blazers Roster
Except for a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, where the Blazers were swept in one-sided fashion by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and the Golden State Warriors, Lillard never really saw much postseason success during his first stint with the Blazers.
That prompted him to leave under the assumption that he would be able to win a title with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Failing to do so and being waived was likely a humbling experience for one of the greatest shooters in the NBA.
Although the Blazers do not have any talent on their roster that can compare to Antetokounmpo, Lillard recently expressed a positive stance on his new team and how he believes that being sidelined for this season due to injury will ultimately aid his comeback.
“I still think I have better moments ahead. Everything is happening in a weird way. What are the chances that I tear my Achilles and I get waived with two years left … and the first team I think of — and the first team that contacted me — is the Blazers? And me being back here … you know, I had to go away for this team to be assembled. And now it’s a team that I would have wanted to play on for years. So now I have a year to connect with this team while building my body up to get ready to go.”
With players such as Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe, the Blazers have done their best to remain afloat this season despite not having a healthy Lillard on their roster. However, the 6-9 Blazers are on a four-game losing streak, a slight cause for concern.
Although Lillard’s confidence in the current Blazers lineup is admirable and appears to be genuinely sincere, there is no denying that this team is far from being good enough to qualify for the postseason. The ongoing 2025-2026 season will showcase Lillard’s ability as a mentor and leader on the sidelines.
On the bright side, he is expected to return, fully adjusted to his new team, next season.
