The Portland Trail Blazers marked Damian Lillard’s 36th birthday with a public message celebrating the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
“Happy birthday, Dame,” the team wrote in its July 15 post, accompanying the message with a video tribute featuring several images from Lillard’s career in Portland.
The announcement was ceremonial rather than a medical or roster update. Portland did not provide a new timetable for Lillard’s return from the torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2025-26 season.
Still, the timing carries significance beyond an ordinary birthday tribute. Lillard is approaching what would be his 15th NBA season and his first opportunity to play for the Trail Blazers since the franchise traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in September 2023.
Damian Lillard’s 15th Season Comes With a Comeback Question
Lillard suffered the Achilles injury during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers in April 2025. He subsequently underwent surgery and was expected to miss the following season.
Milwaukee waived Lillard in July 2025 with approximately $103 million remaining on his previous contract. Portland then brought him home on a reported three-year, $42 million deal, completing his return less than two years after the original trade.
Lillard as entering his 14th season when Milwaukee released him in 2025. Although he did not appear in a game during that campaign, the 2026-27 season represents his 15th year on an NBA roster since Portland selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2012 draft.
Whether Lillard will be available at the beginning of the season remains a separate matter. Neither the birthday post nor the team’s accompanying video included a medical clearance, target date or guarantee that he will participate in training camp.
That distinction matters for a 36-year-old guard returning from one of basketball’s most serious lower-body injuries.
Lillard Still Occupies a Unique Place in Blazers History
Portland’s tribute also reinforced that Lillard’s return is about more than filling a roster spot.
Lillard holds the franchise records for points and made three-pointers, with 19,376 points and 2,387 threes during his first 11 seasons with the organization. He also earned seven of his nine All-Star selections as a Trail Blazer before spending two seasons in Milwaukee.
His second Portland tenure began largely away from game action. The Blazers signed Lillard knowing he would require an extended rehabilitation, allowing him to recover near his family and reconnect with an organization he represented from 2012 through 2023.
That makes the next stage considerably more compelling. Portland has already completed the emotional portion of the reunion. The unresolved question is what Lillard can provide on the court after a full season away.
Before his injury, Lillard remained highly productive. He averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists for Milwaukee during the 2024-25 regular season and earned his ninth All-Star selection.
Those numbers offer evidence that Lillard was still an impact offensive player before the Achilles rupture. They do not guarantee that he will immediately regain the same explosiveness, workload or role upon returning.
Portland’s birthday message did not answer those questions. It did, however, highlight how close the franchise is to the next chapter of a reunion that has so far taken place primarily behind the scenes.
At 36, and with his potential 15th season approaching, Lillard’s eventual return to the floor would be the announcement Trail Blazers fans have truly been waiting for.
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