Damian Lillard made a surprise return to the the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jrue Holiday's Message to Damian Lillard Surfaces After Becoming Trail Blazers Teammates originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Damian Lillard’s return to the Portland Trail Blazers was one of the most unexpected moves of the NBA offseason. After being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, the veteran guard faced interest from multiple contenders, including the Boston Celtics. But instead of chasing a title elsewhere, Lillard chose to come back to the team where he spent the first 11 years of his career.
It marked a full-circle moment for the nine-time All-Star, who spent the last two seasons with Milwaukee before injuries and roster shifts led to his release last month. According to the Athletic, the Celtics were among the frontrunners for his services, especially after Jrue Holiday was dealt to Portland in June. Instead, Lillard surprised the league by rejoining the Blazers.
According to Lillard, Holiday played a major role in his decision. “Once he came here, he was like ‘can I wear yournumber?’ But he was joking,” Lillard said during a recent discussion at his youth camp in Beaverton. “And it was like a joke but like as soon as I got waived ... he sent me the eyeball emoji.”
Holiday had apparently maintained contact since he was first acquired by Portland, and he managed to convince Lillard that the fit was right—even amid trade rumors linking him to Boston.
Damian Lillard says Jrue Holiday recruited him to the Trail Blazers
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 24, 2025
"As soon as I got waived, he sent me the 👀 emoji"
(h/t @Fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/jjXh97wOBp
Lillard now joins a reshaped Portland roster coming off a 36-win season. With the 35-year-old likely to miss most of the 2025-26 season recovering from injury, Holiday is expected to anchor the team alongside young talent like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
For now, the franchise can only hope that its new star pairing will eventually set the tone for some success once Lillard returns.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
