The 2025-26 Portland Trail Blazers season unofficially begins Sept. 29, when the team holds its annual media day at the Moda Center.

The rebuilding Blazers return most of the key young pieces from a roster that overachieved in the second half of last season, when the team went 23-18 to surprisingly finish with 36 wins.

But there are some new faces. A franchise icon is back. One of the best perimeter defenders in the league is joining the rotation. And a young Chinese phenom has arrived in the United States.

What will the Blazers look like in 2025-26? In an effort to bring you up to speed, we’re providing a daily snapshot of the roster as media day approaches. Next up: Damian Lillard.

Let the countdown to the 2025-26 season begin.

DAMIAN LILLARD

Measurables: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

Age: 35

Position: Guard

2024-25 stats: 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds (with the Milwaukee Bucks)

NBA experience: This will be his 14th NBA season

Contract status: Lillard, who signed a three-year deal with the Blazers in July, will make $14.1 million this season.

Expected role: Rehabilitation

Outlook: The Blazers and Lillard reunited after a two-year breakup, but Rip City likely will have to wait another season before he returns to the court. The nine-time All-Star and franchise leader in scoring suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in April, while playing in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s expected to miss the entire season rehabilitating from surgery. But while he can’t make an impact on the court, Lillard — who is one of the most respected leaders in the NBA and one of the most admired figures in Blazers history — can provide a boost in the locker room. There’s only so much a player can do from the sidelines, even from a team chemistry/mentorship standpoint, but if anyone can make a positive mark, it’s Lillard. As third-year point guard Scoot Henderson looks to take a meaningful step in his development, Lillard and veteran guard Jrue Holiday surely will play a strong behind-the-scenes roll in grooming the franchise’s point guard of the future.

Previous entries: Rayan Rupert … Blake Wesley … Duop Reath.

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