Home » Sports » NBA » Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard’s preseason debut proves Blazers didn’t need to trade for shooting

Damian Lillard's return is already solving the Portland Trail Blazers' shooting woes.

By Reese Kunz · Rip City Project

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 4:58 PM

Key Things to Know

Reese Kunz argues Damian Lillard's return resolves the Portland Trail Blazers' perimeter shooting deficiencies without needing outside trades.
The Trail Blazers defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-118 in their preseason opener.
Damian Lillard posted 15 points in 19 minutes, hitting three of his eight three-point attempts.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Reese Kunz argues that Damian Lillard's preseason debut shows the Portland Trail Blazers did not need to trade for outside shooting this offseason. Portland defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-118 on Wednesday, making 17 of 44 three-point attempts, with Lillard scoring 15 points and hitting three triples across 19 minutes of action.

Kunz notes that Portland shot just 34.3 percent from deep last season, but head coach Micah Nori and general manager Joe Cronin anticipated internal offensive improvement. The writer believes that despite Lillard recovering from a torn Achilles at age 36, his perimeter presence significantly enhances Portland's offense alongside Deni Avdija and Ja Morant.

Read the full article on Rip City Project

Damian Lillard’s preseason debut proves Blazers didn’t need to trade for shooting

More Portland Trail Blazers News

Never Miss a Sports Update