Portland Trail Blazers depth chart after Damian Lillard reunion in blockbuster move

It’s a day for Portland Trail Blazers fans to celebrate. Damian Lillard will return to the Blazers after signing a three-year, $42 million contract, Shams Charania of ESPN reported. At the beginning of NBA free agency, the Milwaukee Bucks released Lillard to make room for center Myles Turner.

Charania revealed that other teams in the league offered Lillard mid-level exceptions and minimum contracts. However, the nine-time All-Star decided to rejoin the franchise that drafted him in 2012. The biggest reason behind his decision could be his family, who still reside in Portland. Since he played half of the regular season’s games in Milwaukee, the star guard didn’t get to see his kids a lot.

Additionally, it was reported that Lillard wanted to spend the 2025-26 season, which was dedicated to rehabbing his torn Achilles, in Portland. However, the Bucks reportedly denied the point guard’s request, which eventually resulted in their breakup.

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Lillard has had a rich history with the Trail Blazers. He was their franchise player for 11 seasons, leading the team to multiple playoff appearances. During his time in Portland, he averaged 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists.

Now that he's back, let's look at the Blazers' roster depth.

The key additions for the Portland Trail Blazers are point guards Jrue Holiday and Lillard. Holiday was acquired via a trade with the Boston Celtics that involved Anfernee Simons. Another departure for the Blazers is center Deandre Ayton, who agreed to a contract buyout and joined the LA Lakers.

Here's the team roster.

After adding Lillard to the mix, the Portland Trail Blazers have 19 players. Things could still change before the start of the season. It's also worth noting that the star point guard won't play next season as he heals from his season-ending injury.

Lillard teases the Portland Trail Blazers fans

It's always nice for fans to see the franchise player of their favorite team return after they leave for "greener pastures." When LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, revitalizing the organization, they instantly became title contenders.

However, Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers have a different situation from James and the Cavs. The former Weber State star is likely in the twilight years of his career. Also, there's no assurance that he'll be the same player once he returns to the court. There haven't been many players who stayed the same after sustaining an Achilles tendon.

However, his return is enough to get the fans excited. On Thursday, he teased the supporters by posting a video of his return on X.

"RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! @trailblazers" Lillard wrote.

It's an interesting turn of events for Lillard, as he finds his way back home.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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