Damian Lillard has a stunning workout 6 months after surgery

April 27 Damian Lillard ruptured his Achilles during the Milwaukee Bucks’ Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. This was something the Bucks couldn’t afford, given their draft pick situation and their need to calm Giannis Antetokounmpo. This led to Lillard’s eventual waiver and stretch, paving the way for the Portland Trail Blazers to bring back one of, if not the absolute best player in franchise history.

The The Blazers decided to use their available money to bring in Lillard, a move many fans appreciated, even though the star point guard is unlikely to play, if at all, during the 2025-26 campaign. But there are plenty of promising signs that Lillard may not be that far away from an eventual return to action.

On Monday night, following the Blazers’ 123-115 loss to the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers, Lillard was seen putting in a few reps on the floor of the Moda Center. This is amazing to see when he is only about six months removed from Achilles surgery.

Blazers’ Damian Lillard, just 6 months removed from Achilles surgery, works out last night 👀

(via @Victor_S7709)
pic.twitter.com/Kbr2KUCrgE

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2025

Of course, no one should expect Lillard to return to action for the Blazers anytime soon. They didn’t sign him expecting to make an immediate impact anyway. But seeing Lillard move the way he did during this practice should be encouraging for Blazers fans who want to see nothing less than a smooth return to action for the star point guard.

Lillard is the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer with 19,376 points. He was looking for a trade 2023 to try to compete for a championship, only to lose in the first round of back-to-back seasons with the Bucks. Now, Lillard will be part of the Blazers’ fledgling core and when he returns, he will help boost their offense, which is currently ranked 15th.

Damian Lillard should be a strong mentor to the young players of the Blazers

Lillard may not be active on the court right now, but he still provides so much value for the Blazers. Portland has plenty of inexperienced players, with Danny Avdia, Sheddon Sharpe, Tumani Kamara and Donovan Klingan looking to lead the team, and Lillard’s voice should come in handy. Scoot Henderson also has a lot to learn from Lillard.

The Blazers are currently 4-3 on the season, suggesting they may not be far from making the playoffs, even in the loaded West.