Damian Lillard was once thought to represent the Portland Trail Blazers for the entirety of his NBA career, having played 11 seasons for the franchise. In 2023, however, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lillard’s stint with the Bucks resulted in an NBA Cup title and two first-round playoff eliminations. Dealing with a string of setbacks throughout the 2024-2025 season, the nine-time All-Star was waived by the Bucks last summer. Shortly after, he signed a new deal with Portland.
In an interview with Casino.co’s D.J. Siddiq, Lillard expressed that he intends to finish his playing career with the Trail Blazers.
“Whenever it does end, that’s definitely my plan, is to be playing for the Trail Blazers in my last game of my career. I don’t have a timeline. I just know that I’ll play as long as I feel in my heart that I can do the things that I do. The moment that I can’t do what I do, there will be no reason for me to continue to do it.”
A Gap Year
This season, Lillard has not been involved in regular season action to focus on recovering from injury. He suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a playoff matchup against the Indiana Pacers last April.
Despite being inactive, Lillard won the latest edition of the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend. He defeated Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Bobby Portis Jr., and Norman Powell for his record-tying third title.
In terms of team success, the Trail Blazers hold the tenth spot in the Western Conference standings. The franchise is likely to secure a position in next month’s play-in tournament.
In Lillard’s absence, Deni Avdija earned his first career All-Star selection. The 25-year-old is averaging 24.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
With Portland heading toward the playoffs as underdogs, Lillard will have a chance to elevate the team further next season.