Lillard Returns as Trail Blazers Begin Preseason

The Portland Trail Blazers, with Israeli player Deni Avdija, are set to begin their preseason on Thursday at 5:00 AM, hosting the Golden State Warriors. This game may mark the return of Damian Lillard to the court and the team where he became a legend. Lillard, the franchise's all-time leading scorer, will wear the Trail Blazers uniform for the first time since March 22, 2023. His last basketball game was on April 27, 2025, when he suffered an Achilles tear playing for Milwaukee.

New coach Mike Norrie will make his unofficial debut and plans to manage player minutes, potentially resting stars in some games. While official confirmation is pending, both Lillard and newly acquired star Jah Morant are expected to participate against the Warriors, as they are both healthy. Portland's preseason schedule includes games against Golden State on October 8 and 17, the London Lions on October 12, and Sacramento on October 14.

Avdija expressed his desire to play as much as possible in the preseason to prepare for the upcoming 82-game season, while also emphasizing the need for smart minute management. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and rookie Jalen Suggs for their matchup in Portland. This decision comes after the Warriors played and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 124-98 earlier that morning, with Curry playing only 14 minutes.

A key question for Portland entering the 2026-27 season is their starting lineup. "It doesn't make sense to start with Damian Lillard and Jah Morant. Both are too small and have never excelled defensively," noted The Athletic's Jason Quick. He suggested that Jrue Holiday, a bigger guard and excellent defender, might be a more analytical option, with either Lillard or Morant coming off the bench. Coach Norrie, however, plans to experiment with different lineups and might start Lillard and Morant together in the first game against Golden State.

Norrie stated, "I want to see how it looks with both of them together." He added that he is more concerned with closing out games than starting them. Lillard has started all 900 of his NBA games, and Morant has started 325 of 327. Morant indicated he is open to coming off the bench, though Norrie expressed uncertainty about how Morant would internally handle such a role. Lillard currently believes that he, Morant, and Avdija will be in the starting lineup. Morant recently impressed at the Blazers' fan event, winning MVP honors in a shooting contest.