Damian Lillard (Achilles) said Monday that he does not plan on returning to action during the 2025-26 season.

Lillard ruptured his left Achilles tendon during the Bucks’ first-round series against the Pacers. Planning on doing his rehab in Portland, the guard agreed to a multi-year deal with the Trail Blazers after Milwaukee bought out his contract. Lillard’s declaration that he doesn’t plan on attempting to play this season is unsurprising, but there had been no official declaration from him or the team. With his comments on Monday, fantasy managers don’t need to consider stashing Lillard with a late-round pick. This will be a critical season for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, as both will take on significant roles with Lillard sidelined and Anfernee Simons now a member of the Celtics.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Trail Blazers.

The contract includes a player option in 2027. Lillard now will have a 2025-26 set salary of $70M between his Portland and Milwaukee deals, and a salary of $141M over the next two years, according to Charania. The 35-year-old point guard is heading back to where his career began when the Trail Blazers selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Lillard is unlikely to play much if at all this season as he recovers from Achilles surgery, but is now set up to potentially finish his career right where he started it.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard will sign a three-year, $42 million contract with the Trail Blazers.

The contract includes a player option in 2027. Lillard now will have a 2025-26 set salary of $70M between his Portland and Milwaukee deals, and a salary of $141M over the next two years, according to Charania. The 35-year-old point guard is heading back to where his career began when the Trail Blazers selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Lillard is unlikely to play much if at all this season as he recovers from Achilles surgery, but looks to finish his career right where he started it. The deal includes a no-trade clause.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Bucks waived Damian Lillard.

The Bucks chose to waive and stretch Lillard, who is likely to miss all of next season as he recovers from an Achilles tear. Milwaukee is able to stretch the $113 million still owed to Lillard over five seasons. This was a necessary move for the team to have the requisite space to sign free agent center Myles Turner. The Bucks had to get creative to give their roster an immediate upgrade. Lillard’s free-agent market will be a bit of a mystery given the fact that he’s unlikely to play much — if at all — this season. It’s possible we’ve seen the last of him as a major fantasy option.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Damian Lillard was waived by the Bucks.

The Bucks chose to waive and stretch Lillard, who is likely to miss all of next season as he recovers from an Achilles tear. Milwaukee is able to stretch the $113 million still owed to Lillard over five season. This was a necessary move for the team to have the requisite space to sign free agent center Myles Turner. The Bucks had to get creative to give their roster an immediate upgrade.

Damian Lillard (Achilles) underwent a successful surgical procedure on Friday.

Lillard suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear during the Bucks’ loss to the Pacers in Game 4 of their series on Sunday. He remains without a recovery timeline, but the assumption is that Lillard will miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season. His status impacts Milwaukee’s entire rotation and approach to the offseason, as the franchise heads into the summer with limited assets to help strengthen the squad.

Damian Lillard underwent successful Achilles surgery on Friday.

Lillard suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear last Sunday during the Bucks’ season-ending Game 4 loss to the Pacers. The 34-year-old point guard remains without a recovery timeline, but the assumption is that he’ll miss a significant portion of next season. His status impacts Milwaukee’s entire rotation and approach to the offseason as the franchise heads into the summer with limited assets to help strengthen their roster.

NBA reporter Chris B. Haynes reports that Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a torn Achilles.

Brutal. Lillard’s 2024-25 season is officially over, and there’s a chance he misses all of next season due to the timing of the injury. It’s unclear what Lillard’s extended absence will mean for fantasy owners in 2025-26, as the Bucks will likely address PG depth in the offseason.

Damian Lillard (leg) will not return to Game 4 against the Pacers on Sunday.

Lillard suffered a lower left leg injury while attempting to chase down a missed shot during the first quarter. Unable to put much weight on the leg while being helped to the locker room, the Bucks’ point guard has officially been ruled out. Given that it’s a non-contact injury, there’s undoubtedly some concern regarding Lillard’s ultimate prognosis. Kevin Porter Jr. will figure more prominently within the Bucks’ rotation, and they will also need more offense from Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green.

Damian Lillard had seven points (2-of-12 FGs), three rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in Game 3 against the Pacers on Friday.

Lillard returned from a calf injury and scored 14 points on 13 shots in Game 2. The 34-year-old point guard’s struggles continued in Game 3 as he had seven points on 12 shots. Lillard, who hadn’t played since March 18 prior to Game 2, played 32 minutes. Whether it’s rust or lingering effects of the injury, his play is clearly diminished. With just one off-day before Game 4 Sunday, Lillard isn’t in a great spot for a bounce-back.

Damian Lillard returned to the lineup on Tuesday and contributed 14 points (4-of-13 FGs), three rebounds, seven assists and two three-pointers against the Pacers in Game 2.

Prior to this game, Lillard last played on March 18 due to a deep vein thrombosis in his calf. He missed 15 games before finally returning to play in Game 2 of this series. However, his return wasn’t enough for Milwaukee to even things up. Head coach Doc Rivers didn’t give a set minutes restriction for Lillard before the game, and he ended up logging 37 minutes. Though he didn’t play particularly well, Lillard playing a full workload is an encouraging sign. Game 3 isn’t until Friday, so Lillard will have time to recover after his first game in over a month.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard (deep vein thrombosis) will be available for Game 2 on Tuesday.

Lillard has not played since March 18, but he’ll be available for Game 2 after Milwaukee got smoked in Game 1. Lillard did some chirping with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam from the bench in that one, so expect him to be fired up when he takes the court on Tuesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard (calf) will be available for Game 2 on Tuesday.

Lillard has not played since March 18 due to a deep vein thrombosis in his calf, but he’ll be available for Game 2 after Milwaukee got smoked in Game 1. Lillard did some chirping with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam from the bench in that one, so expect him to be fired up when he takes the court on Tuesday.

The Athletic’s Eric Nehm reports that Damian Lillard practiced on Monday and has gone through live scrimmages the last two days.

Nehm quotes head coach Doc Rivers as saying: “He’s close. He looks great to me.” When asked about Dame’s availability for Game 2, Rivers was non-committal, opening the door for a potential return earlier than expected. For now, we’ll consider Lillard questionable for Game 2. Keep a close eye on his status ahead of Tuesday’s tip-off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Damian Lillard (deep vein thrombosis) could return by Game 3 of the Bucks’ first-round series against the Pacers.

Lillard last appeared in a game on March 18, as a deep vein thrombosis in his calf placed the Bucks guard on the sidelines. Cleared of the issue on Thursday, Lillard has participated in recent practices, which have included some 3-on-3 action. Conditioning is the concern at this stage, as he was unable to do anything during the early stages of the DVT. Game 2 of the series is on Tuesday, with the Bucks hosting Game 3 on Friday. Ryan Rollins has been Lillard’s replacement in the starting lineup, with Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as the “point guard.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard (deep vein thrombosis) could return by Game 3 against the Pacers.

Lillard last appeared in a game on March 18, as a deep vein thrombosis in his calf placed the Bucks guard on the sideline. Lillard has participated in recent practices, which have included some 3-on-3 action, after being medically cleared earlier this week. Conditioning is the major concern at this stage, as he was unable to do anything during the early stages of the DVT. Game 2 of the series is on Tuesday, with the Bucks hosting Game 3 on Friday. Ryan Rollins has been Lillard’s replacement in the starting lineup, with Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as the “point guard.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard has been cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and is no longer on blood-thinning medication.

Charania also reported that this is an incredibly quick recovery for Lillard that was made possible by early treatment. It is an excellent development for both Dame and the Bucks. He has been ruled out for Game 1 against the Pacers on Saturday, and they will give him time to ramp up before he returns to the lineup. It’s unclear what that timeline looks like, but Lillard is certainly on pace to return sooner rather than later. Ryan Rollins should continue to start in place of Dame until he returns.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard (blood clot) will miss the start of the playoffs.

Lillard will miss the beginning of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Pacers. The star guard hasn’t played in nearly a month but has made strides toward returning later on in the postseason.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Damian Lillard (blood clot) will miss the start of the playoffs.

Lillard will miss the beginning of the Bucks’ first-round playoffs series against the Pacers. The star guard hasn’t played in nearly a month but has made strides toward returning later on in the postseason.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Damian Lillard (blood clot) will be cleared to return at some point during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

It’s unclear how soon Lillard will be cleared to return to the hardwood but an upcoming exam will determine his timetable. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 13.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game without the star point guard this season.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard is out indefinitely with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.

Initially diagnosed with a strained right calf, a deep vein thrombosis has reportedly developed. While blood-thinning medications have neutralized the blood clot, the Bucks guard will be out indefinitely and will continue to be tested regularly. From a fantasy standpoint, Lillard may not return in time to help managers who have relied on him for high-level production during the playoff weeks. While Ryan Rollins has been the replacement in the starting lineup, Gary Trent Jr. is the player who should be targeted on waiver wires.

Damian Lillard (calf) is out for Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets.

Wednesday’s game will be Lillard’s fourth missed game with a strained right calf. Ryan Rollins has been his replacement in the starting lineup, and that should remain the case in Denver. However, Gary Trent Jr. is the superior choice for fantasy managers seeking a streamer with Lillard unavailable. Trent has scored in double figures in seven straight games.

Damian Lillard (calf) is out for Monday’s game against the Suns.

Lillard will miss a third-straight game with a calf injury. While Ryan Rollins has been his replacement in the starting lineup, his production in that role has been limited. Kevin Porter Jr. can be a bit erratic from a production standpoint, but he offers a higher ceiling than Rollins despite coming off the bench.

Damian Lillard (calf) has been ruled out against the Kings on Saturday.

Lillard had been dealing with a groin injury, but this calf injury forced him to miss Thursday’s game. It will keep him sidelined once again on Saturday. Ryan Rollins should get another start in place of Lillard as the team’s starting point guard.

Damian Lillard (calf) has been ruled out against the Lakers on Thursday.

Lillard was initially probable due to a groin injury, but Milwaukee updated his status to questionable with a calf injury Thursday afternoon, and that will keep him sidelined against Los Angeles. Ryan Rollins will slide into the starting lineup in his place.

Damian Lillard (calf) has been added to the injury report as questionable to play against the Lakers on Thursday.

Lillard was initially probable with the groin injury that has landed him on the injury report often in recent weeks. However, a calf injury now has him listed questionable. The Lakers will be without most of their typical rotation, which may be a factor in Lillard’s availability. Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins are both candidates to take on extra minutes.

Damian Lillard amassed 19 points (3-of-9 FGs, 11-of-11 FTs), one rebound, two assists, one steal and two three-pointers in 29 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Thunder.

Lillard’s nine field goal attempts are the fewest he’s had in a game since February 27, but an 11-of-11 night at the foul line boosted the point total. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, the Bucks point guard was responsible for two assists, the fewest for him in a game since February 25. However, Sunday’s game was more a “blip on the radar” than anything, as Lillard has been a top 20 player in eight- and nine-cat formats since the All-Star break.

Giannis Antetkounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (groin) are probable for Sunday’s game against the Thunder.

Damian Lillard accumulated 25 points (7-of-15 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), 10 rebounds, eight assists and six three-pointers in 37 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Pacers.

This season, Lillard has been Milwaukee’s best fantasy player, providing top-10 value in eight- and nine-cat formats. He’s scored 22 points or more in seven of his last eight appearances, and he finished Saturday’s win two assists shy of a triple-double. And availability hasn’t been a concern, with Lillard missing three games since the calendar flipped to 2025. He’ll look to end Week 19 on a high note when the Bucks host the Thunder on Sunday.

Damian Lillard recorded a double-double on Thursday with 22 points (6-of-14 FGs), six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and two three-pointers against the Lakers.

Lillard was better as a scorer on Thursday than he was in their previous game. He was held to 15 points while making just four of his 14 shot attempts during Tuesday’s loss to Indiana. However, Lillard had success as a playmaker once again, and this was his second-straight double-double. Lillard has six double-doubles in 2025, all of which have come in pairs. Milwaukee has two more games this week, with a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. The first game will be a rematch against the Pacers, and they’ll wrap up the week against the Thunder.