The Portland Trail Blazers have had three apparent problems weighing them down throughout their entire rebuild: shooting, playmaking, and a lack of star power. Damian Lillard's anticipated return to start the 2026-27 season will immediately give them a boost in all three departments.
Of course, the elephant in the room is how much of a boost Lillard will provide. Considering he's 35 years old and coming off such a major injury, they should continue to address these flaws externally, whether via trade or free agency this summer.
But whether he's 80 percent of the player he used to be or fully returns to form, the point is that Lillard will give Portland's offense a much-needed boost, providing the exact skill set they are currently missing. In some ways, it's a miracle this team finished with 42 wins considering they ranked 28th in three-point percentage (34.3) and dead last in turnovers (17.3)... by a wide margin.
Lillard winning his third 3-Point Contest this past season was more than a feel-good story for Portland. It was a promising sign, as it signaled, at the very least, that he remains an elite spot-up shooter. That alone will open up the driving lanes for Deni Avdija and Portland's downhill attack.
Damian Lillard's return could unlock Deni Avdija's next level
Along with the 42-win season, it's impressive that Avdija had a breakout All-Star season despite Portland's failure to surround him with complementary pieces. He was top ten in potential assists, but the Blazers didn't maximize Avdija's point-forward talents entirely.
Next season, the matchup problems he creates for opposing teams should be even more evident, as teams will face a pick-your-poison dilemma. Leave the oversized, physically dominant Avdija in one-on-one coverage, or help out and risk one of the league's premier three-point shooters getting an open look.
Avdija's star ascension was far and away the best storyline for Portland this season, making it an overall success as they finally have star power of their own to compete in the stacked Western Conference. But as their short playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs showed, this team needs to continue addressing that issue to further close the gap.
One issue limiting their ceiling is that Avdija isn't the top ten player typically required to take a team to the Finals. Portland will have to get him a legitimate co-star(s) to close the gap in the aggregate, and Lillard should help, depending on what level he returns to.
Lillard's return to Rip City was a storybook moment you rarely see in today's NBA, a testament to his loyalty to this franchise, city, and, most importantly, his family. But even though he's back, rehabbing close to family, Lillard has been adamant that this return is a "basketball decision" as well. Making the playoffs without him proved that Portland's young core is ready to compete. And with Lillard back to address the offense's flaws, a deep playoff run next season isn't out of the question.
Add us as a preferred source on Google