Damian Lillard is on his way back to Portland.
The Trail Blazers legend agreed to return to Portland on a three-year, $42 million deal following a contract buyout with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this offseason. The signing obviously won’t make the Blazers contenders right away, especially with Lillard expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025–26 season as he recovers from an achilles tear suffered in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. However, it does include a secret impact that will benefit the future of the Chicago Bulls in the very near future.
Late in the 2021 offseason, the Chicago Bulls were involved in a three-team trade that sent Lauri Markkanen to the Cavaliers, Larry Nance Jr.