Damian Lillard’s return to Portland came with plenty of emotion, but he made it clear the move was never only about going home.
After being waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks in a move that cleared room to sign Myles Turner, Lillard had the freedom to choose his next stop. He ultimately went back to the Portland Trail Blazers, the franchise where he built his Hall of Fame legacy, after two seasons away.
Part of the appeal was practical: he wanted a gap year to recover from the torn Achilles, and doing that back home near family made sense. But Lillard said the basketball side mattered just as much.
"When we all sat down and this idea started to move towards me signing back here, I'm going to look at the basketball situation," Lillard said. "We play basketball and you want to win basketball games.
A lot of people may look at it as a family decision, and obviously anybody would have their family be a part of a decision that they make. But this was just as much a basketball decision."
Wednesday night at Moda Center offered the first real proof of that thinking. Portland opened the 2026-27 season against the Phoenix Suns, the same club the Blazers met in last year’s Play-In, and the result was as loud as it gets: a 124-83 rout. Lillard led the way with a game-high 25 points in 24 minutes.
He wasn’t carrying the load alone. Lillard, Ja Morant, and Deni Avdija powered the offense, while Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan helped cover for any defensive shortcomings.
The whole thing clicked quickly, and Lillard’s presence was a huge reason why. His shotmaking and ability to create offense fit cleanly with Portland’s core, exactly the kind of basketball fit he had in mind when he chose this return.
There’s also a little irony in how it all played out. The same trade that sent Lillard away eventually gave Portland the pieces it had been missing during his first run there. That raises the obvious question now: is it too late, with Lillard back at 36 and trying to come back from a major injury?
It’s only one game, and nobody should overread a season opener. Still, the burst that made Lillard such a dangerous three-level scorer looked intact.
Portland always missed Dame the person, no matter what version of him came back. But if Wednesday was any indication, the fit is real, the roster makes sense, and Lillard’s return could help turn that promise into something much bigger.
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Ja Morants Blazers Debut Just Raised A Bigger Backcourt Question
Ja Morants first run in a Trail Blazers uniform offered an immediate glimpse of what Portland hoped to add when it pulled off the trade with Memphis for Kris Murray and Jerami Grant. Morant got to work right away, scoring six points in his first eight minutes and showing the kind of three-point touch that can change the look of an offense in a hurry. Damian Lillard was sharp too, finishing with 12 points in 12 minutes as Portland jumped out to an early lead.
The early return was encouraging, but it also underlined why the Blazers backcourt now comes with so much intrigue. Morant and Lillard each made a clear imprint in short bursts, and Portlands ability to keep both dynamic guards involved will be one of the more interesting things to watch as the season unfolds. The fit looks promising on paper, but the bigger question is how the Blazers balance two players who both want the ball and can tilt a game in an instant. [Read more 🡒]
Bookers Rough Suns Opener Already Has Fans Fired Up
The Portland Trail Blazers opened the 2026-27 season with a fast start against Phoenix, and the tone of the game turned chippy almost as quickly as the scoreboard did. Portland jumped out to a sizable first-quarter lead behind its new backcourt pairing of Ja Morant and Damian Lillard, giving fans an early look at the kind of pace and pressure this roster can bring when it is clicking.
Devin Booker spent much of the night trying to steady the Suns, but the opener also featured a series of heated exchanges with Morant that escalated into double technical fouls for both guards. For a Portland team trying to announce itself as a more serious force in the West, the bigger picture is whether this new group can turn that opening burst into something sustainable once the emotion of opening night fades. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Just Sent A Loud Opening Night Message To The NBA
The season opener in Phoenix quickly turned into a showcase for Portland, which ran out to a 21-0 burst and never let the Suns find their footing. The Blazers walked away with a 124-83 win, a lopsided result built on pace, physicality and a clear edge on the glass, where they outworked Phoenix 56-39.
Damian Lillard set the tone for Portland with 25 points, while Devin Booker finished with 23 in an evening where the Suns struggled to establish much rhythm on either end. For a team trying to set an early standard, it was about as strong a first impression as Portland could have made, and the bigger question now is whether this kind of start can carry over once the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]