After missing the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles tendon, 36-year-old Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is set to return to the court. Given his injury history and age, the team plans to manage his playing time this coming season. Lillard has expressed his willingness to accept this arrangement, but he hopes people won’t conflate taking care of his body with a decline in his actual ability—insisting, “I’m not an old man.”
“I know I’m 36, and we’ve discussed that I won’t be playing 38 minutes a night anymore. Sure, there might be games where I play longer, but with the depth we have on our current roster—especially in the backcourt—I don’t think I need to shoulder that kind of heavy workload.”
“I just want to be responsible about taking care of my body. After playing for so many years, the wear and tear naturally add up. I’m still a player who can run and jump; I’ve always been diligent about maintaining my body, both on and off the court. I don’t want any misunderstandings—I’m not an old man!” Lillard emphasized.
In fact, during the 2024-25 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, while shooting 44.8% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range. He was also selected to his ninth All-Star Game, proving that even past the age of 30, he remains an elite scorer. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the playoffs that year, which not only ended his season prematurely but also kept him sidelined for over a year before his return to the court. As he prepares for his first regular-season game since returning from injury, Lillard says he doesn’t feel particularly sentimental—rather, he is filled with anticipation. “I don’t feel overly sentimental at all; I’m just excited. When you’ve been away from the court for so long and unable to play, you really look forward to coming back—especially for games that truly matter and count toward the official record.”
“I felt a deep sense of emotion back when I re-signed here. That was always what I hoped would happen, and in the end, it actually came to fruition.”
During this year’s preseason, Lillard appeared in three games, averaging 22.7 minutes and 17.3 points. The Trail Blazers are set to face the Suns in today’s season opener.