Damian Lillard gives room for the Portland Trail Blazers to comeback in the future.
On Wednesday, Damian Lillard—who is currently a member of the Milwaukee Bucks—walked into the Moda Center, received a standing ovation, and played his first game against the Trail Blazers since being traded in October.
After playing for the Blazers for 11 years, Lillard acknowledged that switching to the visitor’s locker room was strange but emphasized his continued ties to the city.
Even though the Blazers defeated the Bucks 119-116 in the end, Lillard’s poignant return to his hometown was still the talk of the town.
During the first quarter, Portland honored their former player with two videos that highlighted both his on-court accomplishments and his significant services to the community. Lillard expressed gratitude to the supporters for their love and support, stating
Lillard stated he was open to the possibility of playing one more season with the Trail Blazers before his career ended, even though he was committed to the Bucks. He expressed his true thoughts on Portland, the team, and the city’s influence on him and hinted at a possible reunion while wearing a Trail Blazers uniform.
Awaiting Lillard’s return, fans held signs hoping he would “get your ring then come back home.” The scene was one of emotion and optimism. The star guard expressed his conflicted feelings about leaving Portland and the significance of his time there.
Although Lillard first asked Portland for a trade.
The Whole Comeback of the Trail Blazers in the Damian Lillard Blockbuster Trades
Legendary Portland Trail Blazer Damian Lillard asked for a trade on July 1st, after 11 seasons of service, and his trade worth immediately became a little hazy.
There were rumors circulating that Lillard’s lone desired trade destination was the Miami Heat, who had little to give up in exchange. To force his client to South Beach, Lillard’s agent Aaron Goodwin even made a concerted effort to aggressively manipulate the trade market and intimidate potential suitors.
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Lillard’s contract reality should then be considered: As an offensive-oriented guard who typically ages poorly in the NBA, Lillard, 33, is owed about $216.21 million over the course of the next four seasons. The final year of Lillard’s contract,
There is no denying Lillard’s production value and skill. Ranking among the all-time greats at the position of 75, he just finished what may have been his finest season ever, averaging a career-high 32.2 points per contest. However, there was doubt over whether the Blazers would be able to obtain the traditional superstar value in exchange for the franchise’s all-time leading scorer given the unusual circumstances and high asking price.
In light of this, Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin made the decision to exercise patience this summer and grant Lillard’s Miami Heat request gradually. Then, the biggest and first domino of the Lillard blockbuster fell earlier this week on Wednesday:
The seven-time All-Star was moved by Portland to the Milwaukee Bucks in return for first-round lottery pick Jrue Holiday. In addition, Portland traded former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton and 2023 second-round pick Toumani Camara to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little, and guard Keon Johnson.
The Boston Celtics acquired Holiday from Portland in exchange for guard Malcolm Brogdon, big Robert Williams III, and additional first-round draft picks today, setting off the next domino to fall.
