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Damian Lillard returned to where it all started for him, as he signed back with the Portland Trail Blazers after being waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks. The star guard's tenure with the Bucks came to an end after only two seasons, and it happened after tearing his Achilles during the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.
With the Bucks looking to find a way to improve their team for next season, and Lillard possibly being unavailable for most of that season, they had to make the decision to part ways with him. There were several teams that wanted to sign him, but in the end, he decided to come back home.
When he told his daughter that he was returning, she had a hilarious response.
“I didn’t say nothing to ’em about it until Saturday when I actually signed,” Lillard said. “They were with me, and we got back in the car to go home, and I got to a red light and I just turned around and my daughter was looking at me and I told her. She was like, ‘Wait, so we don’t have to get on the airplane to Milwaukee no more?'”
It seems like everyone – from friends, family, and fans – is happy to have Lillard back.
Damian Lillard returns to the Blazers
For Lillard, it made perfect sense to return to the Blazers, and it seems like he didn't have to think about the decision.
“Usually when I have to make a decision, I put a lot of thought into it, I ask questions to a lot of people around me, but this was a decision that wasn't hard at all for me to make,” Lillard said. “I'm just thankful to be back, and it just feels like the perfect situation at the perfect time.”
Lillard was with the Blazers for 11 seasons before getting traded to the Bucks, and he averaged 25.2 points and 6.7 assists with the team. He helped the Blazers get to the postseason and also had some of his best moments with the franchise, including two buzzer-beater 3-pointers to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
When Lillard returns from injury, it looks like he'll be playing with a relatively young roster, but the Blazers are making strides to become a team that will be good for years to come. If Lillard returns to form, that should make the process easier.
