Damian Lillard said he plans to approach his return to the Portland Trail Blazers with a greater sense of enjoyment after missing the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles.
Speaking during Portland’s media day on Monday, September 28, Lillard said simply being back on the court already represents a significant personal victory after a 16-month rehabilitation process.
“For me it’s a success today because I know what I’ve lived for the last 16 months or so just fighting to get back to this point,” Lillard said. “So it’s a win for me to start with just because I have a lot of joy in being out there comfortable playing, feeling strong again.”
Lillard said the difficult recovery included plenty of uncertainty, particularly as he tried to regain the explosiveness and movement that have defined his game.
“There’s so many days where it’s kind of discouraging, but I just chose to fight the fight, you know, over and over,” he said. “Today, when I’m playing pickup and going through drills, like I really feel like my young self.”
The seven-time All-Star said his mindset has also changed after watching an entire season from the sidelines. Rather than carrying the same pressure he once placed on himself, he wants to appreciate the process of being back.
“I’ll play this season with a lot of joy and I’ll play it with the intentions to do what’s best for the team,” Lillard said. “I know it’ll be some big moments. I know it’ll be a lot of moments where I also have to, it might be somebody else’s night. But I do know that overall I’m going to be Dame Lillard.”
Lillard also discussed joining forces with Ja Morant, who arrived in Portland from Memphis during the offseason. He said the two guards can complement each other by making the correct play rather than worrying about individual roles.
“For me, if I get the ball and I’m advancing the ball ahead to Ja Morant, I feel pretty good about it,” Lillard said. “And if I’m advancing the ball to Deni Avdija, I feel good about it.”
He believes Morant and Avdija attacking the paint can create opportunities for him as a shooter.
“If they are attacking the rim, attacking the paint, and they’re kicking the ball out to me for a three-pointer, I think they should feel great about that,” Lillard said.
The 36-year-old also indicated that his workload could be managed differently than earlier in his career. After averaging at least 35 minutes in every season before 2025-26, he said there is no need to push for that kind of regular-season workload.
“I’m capable of doing whatever I need to do,” Lillard said. “But at this stage, I don’t think I need to kill myself in the regular season trying to play 37, 36, 35 minutes if it’s unnecessary.”
Lillard said he is currently operating without restrictions.
“I’m just regular,” he said. “I don’t have no restrictions or nothing like that. I’m able to play free.”
He also said his improved comfort became particularly noticeable around August, when he felt he could once again change direction, stop and start, and create the separation his game requires.
“I can get places,” Lillard said. “My style of play, like I need to be able to blow by people. I need to be able to get into those cracks. I need to be able to stop on a dime.”
After averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists in 58 games for Milwaukee in 2024-25, Lillard returns to Portland alongside Morant, Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan as the Trail Blazers look to improve on last season’s 42-40 record and first-round playoff exit.
