The Portland Trail Blazers may have missed the playoffs again in 2025, but not all was lost. For Damian Lillard, watching the team grow – even from afar – was enough to believe something special is building in the Rose City.
The numbers back that up: After a dismal 13-28 start, Portland went 23-18 to close the season, a surge that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I’ve watched the team, even at a distance, and I’ve followed and stayed in touch with what was going on,” Lillard said. “This team has talent, depth, and it’s connected. It’s all there, from the talent to the depth to having it on both sides of the ball.”
For a franchise trying to climb out of a years-long rebuilding phase, that statement carries weight. Lillard has always had an eye for team dynamics, and now he sees Portland as “one of those teams that’s coming.”
While Lillard will likely miss all of the 2025–26 season recovering from an Achilles tear, he remains confident in the team’s upward trajectory – and his future with them.
Lillard: Returning To Blazers Was Both Family, Basketball Decision https://t.co/kNRxcpmem9 pic.twitter.com/0gJoL6XYfF
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) July 22, 2025
