As they say, home is where the heart is, and Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green and Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard would definitely agree.
Lillard is back in Rip City after being waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks. While he’s likely to sit out the upcoming season due to an Achilles injury, he is more than elated to rejoin the Trail Blazers. During a media conference on Monday, the veteran guard expressed his gratitude for “the door being open” even though he is sidelined.
“It means a lot to me. Not only to play for this organization again—I never not wanted to play for this organization—but to be back in this community that I’m most familiar with. All the familiar faces. All the things I’ve been connected to, even during the time I wasn’t playing here the last two years, it all just feels right,” said Lillard.
Keeping tabs on Lillard’s return, Green summed up what everybody’s thinking on his Instagram Story.
“The backdrop just looks right,” wrote the Warriors forward.
It’s worth noting that Lillard and Green were drafted in the same class in 2012. They also won a gold medal together on Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 35-year-0ld Green sure knows how it feels to find a home in the NBA. He has only played for the Warriors in his 13-year career, helping them to four championships. His loyalty has made him one of the most beloved players in team history.
The 35-year-old Lillard spent his first 11 years in the NBA in Portland before being traded to Milwaukee in 2023 in a three-team deal that also involved the Phoenix Suns. His two-season stint with the Bucks, however, was largely insignificant.
When the chance to return to Portland arose, including the opportunity to mentor the Trail Blazers’ young core similar to Green’s role on the Warriors, Lillard said it was a no-brainer.
“Usually, when I have to make a decision, I put a lot of thought into it. I ask questions to the people around me, but this was a decision that wasn’t hard at all,” added the nine-time All-Star, who agreed to a three-year deal worth $42 million.
The Warriors and the Trail Blazers have had some heated battles in the past. With Lillard’s return to Portland, everything feels right again.
