Lillard said he never thought of leaving the Trail Blazers!

When Lillard entered the room for his introductory press conference, the progress he made in his recovery was obvious. There was no walking boots, so someone asked obvious questions. How big is your chance to play this season? It was only three months before his Achilles laceration. Lillard said he never thought of leaving the Trail Blazers! A smug smile flashed across Lillard's face, and he tried to lower his head and hide. The truth is that neither side has the motivation to make a comeback. The Trail Blazers have a first-round pick in 2026, which will be a strong and heavy draft. Lillard wants a three-year contract to be able to recover throughout the 25-26 season if necessary, while still having his own player option in 2027. The deal also gave Lillard a ban on the transaction.

Meanwhile, Lillard said he had passed the time by shooting one-legged shots and sitting shots, and he thought he had finished the game ahead of schedule. He admitted that the younger version of himself will be devoted to rush back to play this season. But he also knows that the NBA's actuary table is against him, and that the young impulse may end up doing more damage rather than acceleration.

"It was obviously a serious injury, but I know how I'm going to handle the whole recovery process, take it slow," Lillard said. "I think I will get back to shape." It is this mentality that prompted Lillard to become the top 7 players in NBA history. But it is becoming increasingly impossible for players of his age and his role. “The biggest obstacle for him will be a mental barrier,” an Eastern Conference coach told ESPN. “He has been accustomed to doing things in one way throughout his career, but he may have to overcome a situation where he is no longer a major ball handler.” Lillard expects to be able to return to the top like Wilkins and Durant, who said he has consulted other players who have torn the Achilles tendon, such as Kevin Durant and Rudy Guy, as well as NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He said the conversations, coupled with his consultations with physical therapists and doctors, gave him confidence to return to the All-Star level.

"It's Dame. I know Dame," Goodwin told ESPN. "I know that desire. I know that fight. I know how hard he worked. I don't think it would end his career. It would even extend his career because he worked so hard that he had to give his body a break."

Durant recovered from the torn Achilles in 2019, even though he missed the entire 2019–20 season, which led a Western Conference executive to believe Lillard could still play a role. “Lillard is a smart, high IQ, elite offensive player, just like KD,” he said. "They will be able to do this at a high level for a long time." However, he proposes another comparison, which has a significant warning: Dominic Wilkins broke up his Achilles in 1992 and returned to two All-Star teams. Wilkins returned in 10 months, played 71 games the following season and ranked fifth in the 1993 MVP vote. Wilkins was 32 when he was injured, "The biggest challenge for Lillard is that for someone coming back from here, he will be several years older than all the best players," the Western Conference executive said.

The Trail Blazers have time to predict this this season. So is Lillard. Now, he is home and very comfortable. He will rebuild the strength of his left leg during the next phase of his recovery and work hard to find ways to overcome difficulties.

"I'll check each box next season to make sure I'm not in a hurry," Lillard said. Then he repeated. "I look forward to getting back to normal."