When the Portland Trail Blazers signed Damian Lillard this past offseason, the general consensus is that it was an emotionally-driven reunion with the former franchise player. Lillard had only recently suffered a torn Achilles tendon and was widely expected to miss the 2025-26 season.
Though Lillard continues to be sidelined, the early stages of the postseason have already revealed how he fits with the new-era Blazers.
Lillard played for Portland between 2012-13 and 2022-23, spending each of his 11 seasons as the team's go-to perimeter scorer. It's been three years since he last stepped onto the court for the Trail Blazers, however, and the roster is all but unrecognizable.
Just three years later, there are only two players on the roster who previously played with Lillard in Portland: Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe.
Three of the four full-time starters are fresh faces, including new franchise player Deni Avdija and interior anchor Donovan Clingan. Aside from Grant, the entire second unit is comprised of new players whom Lillard will have to learn how to play with, as well.
For as true as that all may be, the 2026 NBA Playoffs have already proven what Portland needs Lillard for: The exact same thing he once provided, only with less volume.
Blazers need the old Damian Lillard, even if it's a lower-volume role
It's unfortunately unreasonable to expect Lillard to return to an All-NBA level. He'll be 36 by the time he plays his next game for the Trail Blazers, which would've been reason enough to temper expectations over his ability to run the offense as he once did.
That's made all the more complicated by the fact that a torn Achilles tendon is often a career-altering, if not career-ending, injury—let alone during a player's mid-30s.
For as true as that may be, Portland's needs align directly with his skill set. The Trail Blazers ranked No. 28 in three-point field goal percentage during the 2025-26 regular season and were No. 26 in points via guards per game.
Lillard, meanwhile, is a career 37.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc who has scored a Hall of Fame worthy 25.1 points per game through 13 seasons.
Though it's ambitious to expect Lillard to score with such volume, he's a proven shooter and shot creator who can simplify the game for those around him. It's fair to believe he can still put points on the board at a high enough level to make things easier for Avdija, however, who was one of just two starters in double figures during Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.
The offseason may yet see the Trail Blazers improve the roster, but Lillard's place with the current core is clear. Portland needs a lower-volume version of the player he's always been.
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