The Golden State Warriors had interest in Damian Lillard after he was bought out by the Bucks, but it thankfully wasn’t meant to be as the nine-time All-Star went back to the Blazers. Dame gets to have his storybook ending, and Warriors fans should be hyped that they didn’t overpay for an ill-fitting star.
Lillard put up massive numbers in his two seasons in Milwaukee, but he was not the same player for the Bucks. His age, coupled with being away from his family, likely played a role in the decline. Now, he is recovering from a torn Achilles at 35 years old. Dame won’t play in the 2025-26 season, but is expected to return for the 2026-27 campaign.
Golden State is all-in on winning another championship with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. It would have been difficult to resist signing Lillard if he wanted to come to the Bay Area. Luckily, the Blazers saved the Dubs from themselves.
Damian Lillard-Stephen Curry backcourt would have been a disaster
Lillard was never a plus defender. Now, imagine him at 36 years old, coming off a torn Achilles and sharing the backcourt with Curry. Teams would have been hunting Dame every possession. Every franchise tries to exploit the weakest defensive matchup in the playoffs. Lillard would have instantly become the number one target for the Dubs.
It is championship or bust with three aging stars headlining their roster. Signing the nine-time All-Star would have taken the Warriors further away from that goal. Lillard is one of the best to ever do it, but winning in the playoffs was always a challenge. The problem gets worse when paired in the backcourt with Stephen Curry.
It was surprising to see Lillard return to Portland on such a hefty contract. The Blazers clearly wanted the reunion with arguably the best player in franchise history, and they made it happen. Portland will have to wait a full season before Dame returns, but he gets to rehab close to his family and has a no-trade clause that prevents him from being moved.
Golden State had a shot, but the Trail Blazers had something no team could match. It will be great to see Lillard back with the franchise he started with. Warriors fans should rejoice, even if it was fun to think about Curry and Lillard firing away from deep in the same backcourt for a minute.
The Golden State Warriors have plenty to figure out. Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency is at a stalemate, and the front office cannot make other moves until it gets resolved. At least the Warriors dodged signing Damian Lillard and ruining their title chances. Stay tuned to see how the rest of the offseason plays out.