We all thought the same thing when Damian Lillard agreed to return to the Portland Trail Blazers: "Oh, what a nice story!" And, yes, it certainly is a nice story. Lillard took his shot at trying to contend for a championship elsewhere,

In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Lillard suffered a torn Achilles tendon against the Indiana Pacers, forcing him to miss the rest of the postseason and putting his availability for the 2025-26 season in jeopardy. Lillard was eventually let go by Milwaukee, which used the stretch provision on the remaining $113 million on his contract.