NBA Exec Thinks Damian Lillard ‘May Need to Play a Role Like Mike Conley’ Once He Returns From Achilles Injury

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season recovering from his left Achilles tear.

Lillard will be 36 when he makes his second Trail Blazers debut in 2026-27 and one NBA executive thinks the future Hall of Famer “may need to play a role like Mike Conley.”

“He may need to play a role like Mike Conley,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “Let someone else bring the ball up and then be a secondary creator and vet on the floor. It’s a tough thing to get over mentally.”

Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon on April 27. He was waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks on July 6 and signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Trail Blazers on July 19.

Portland selected Lillard with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Lillard holds 17 franchise records. The guard signed with the Trail Blazers so he can be around his kids while he rehabs his injury.

One of the best players in NBA history, Lillard started 58 games for the Bucks last season. He averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists while shooting 44.8% from the field, 37.6% from beyond the arc and 92.1% from the free-throw line. 

Lillard was slated to make $113 million over the next two seasons with the Bucks. That amount will be stretched over the next five seasons.

A top 75 player of all time, Damian Lillard has made nine All-Star teams and seven All-NBA teams. He won the 2012-13 Rookie of the Year Award with the Trail Blazers.  Lillard has career averages of 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists with the Trail Blazers and Bucks. He’s fourth in NBA history in 3-point field goals. 

“It’s Dame. I know Dame,” Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, told ESPN. “I know the desire. I know the fight. I know how hard he works. And I didn’t see this as anything that was going to shut down his career. It’s going to be something that was going to maybe even prolong his career because he goes so hard that he’s got to give his body a break.”