It’s been quite the summer for Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.
He was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks and then signed a new deal with his first team, the Blazers.
Of course, through it all, he has been recovering from a serious Achilles injury.
Speaking to Duane Rankin, via NBA Retweet, Lillard talked about his recovery and how it’s felt so far.
“It can feel like you’re not having much growth and then, after a couple of weeks, it’ll be like, oh man, I’m walking comfortable,” Lillard said.
Damian Lillard on his Achilles injury recovery:
"It can feel like you're not having much growth and then, after a couple of weeks, it'll be like, oh man, I'm walking comfortable."
via @DuaneRankin pic.twitter.com/Xw2bjdTOrr
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) August 10, 2025
It sounds like Lillard is headed in the right direction, but he didn’t give clear insight into where his rehabilitation is.
More importantly, he also didn’t say when he’d be back on the court.
The Blazers were hoping he’d be ready to suit up on the first day of the new season, but perhaps that won’t be the case.
Lillard is now 35 years old and has suffered more injuries over the last several seasons, which makes sense considering his age.
Although the Blazers are elated to have him back and see what he can do, they know he may not be in perfect shape, at least not right away.
They are okay with that because they believe he can still bring major benefits to the team.
Last season, he averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists for the Bucks.
The Blazers envision him dominating on offense, but also bringing some very important experience and guidance to Portland.
The team is mostly comprised of younger players, and they could be assisted by Lillard’s brilliant basketball mind.
Still, they want him on the court and playing because, once again, Portland’s future is riding on Lillard.
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