The Milwaukee Bucks made the worst move of the entire offseason when they decided to waive and stretch Damian Lillard to clear space for Myles Turner. The Portland Trail Blazers directly benefited, as Lillard returned home where he belongs after two long seasons without him.
Lillard easily could've continued his championship quest elsewhere, and no one would've blamed him, especially since Milwaukee wasn't his preferred landing spot when he first requested a trade from Portland. But the decision to return to where his Hall of Fame career all started was a no-brainer for him.
Family certainly played a role, as Lillard had the entire season to rehab from a torn Achilles around loved ones, with a rare no-trade clause guaranteeing he'd stay in Portland this time around. But for Lillard, this was also a "basketball decision" as much as anything. This was no longer the team Lillard requested a trade from. The Blazers were building something special, and he wanted to be a part of it.
Damian Lillard believes in this Blazers roster
Ironically, it was largely due to the Bucks trade in the first place that the Blazers' rebuild was in such a good spot. Most notably, they landed a building block in Toumani Camara, stealing him from the Phoenix Suns as part of the multi-team blockbuster.
With multiple All-Defensive weapons at their disposal, Portland was finally well-equipped to complement Lillard's skillset. We've seen that this season, even without Lillard, who is taking a patient rehab approach and plans to be ready at the start of next season.
Even without their star guard, Portland sits at .500 with a legitimate shot at returning to the postseason. They need to win their final two games against the Clippers and Kings to secure an 8-seed; otherwise, they remain a 9-seed heading into the Play-In Tournament.
Regardless of the outcome in that tournament, it's already apparent that this Blazers rebuild is in a great spot. They have three legitimate foundational pieces in Camara, Deni Avdija, and Donovan Clingan. And better yet, Lillard is the exact piece they've been missing this year, even accounting for his age and the severity of injury.
Portland has struggled with its playmaking and three-point shooting, two areas where Lillard just so happens to thrive. The Blazers can't rely on him in the same capacity, as it's unreasonable to expect him to return to 100 percent. However, this season has proven that they no longer need Lillard to carry the entire offense.
That's what makes this such a great fit, even beyond the fact that Portland gets its franchise star back. Lillard joins an up-and-coming roster perfectly suited for his strengths and weaknesses. Portland gets an offensive-minded guard to help address question marks in its backcourt.
That's the recipe for a deep playoff run next season, justifying the basketball decision to return home.