Damian Lillard never expected to be a free agent this summer. The Milwaukee Bucks had other plans, pulling off a bold scheme to waive-and-stretch Lillard to open up the cap space to sign Myles Turner away from the Indiana Pacers. Lillard will be out for all of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles suffered during the first-round of the 2025 playoffs, but he’s still going to have a market for services as he rehabs for the 2026-27 season.
Lillard turns 35 years old later this month. He’s unlikely to play another game before he turns 36, when he’ll be coming off one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can have. Lillard already showed signs of decline in Milwaukee, especially on the defensive end, but he was still named an All-Star for a reason. His pull-up three-point shooting in valuable in any context, and he remains one of the most dangerous pick-and-roll ball handlers in the league.
What’s the best landing spot for Lillard? Let’s rank the best destinations for Lillard in free agency.
7. Miami Heat
Lillard had his heart set on going to the Miami Heat when he was requesting a trade from the Blazers. It proved to be a missed opportunity for both parties, as Miami has been stuck in mediocrity ever since missing out on him. The Heat still have their appeals even as a play-in caliber team in the East, but it feels like Lillard should be looking at more serious contenders.
6. Portland Trail Blazers
It sounds nice for Lillard to retire as a Trail Blazer. Portland is seemingly accelerating its rebuild after trading for Jrue Holiday, and adding Lillard to the locker room could provide a nice veteran mentor for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. The problem is that Lillard probably still believes he has meaningful basketball left in him, and the Blazers aren’t yet well-positioned to play meaningful games in the West. I would also worry Lillard’s role could become a distraction if he’s out-playing Henderson, and at this point, Portland needs to be committed to developing its young core.
5. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a team in transition. The upcoming season was always going to be a gap year for Boston with star Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, and maybe it makes some sense to let Lillard recover from the same injury alongside him. It remains to be seen how aggressive Boston will be in trying to build another title team around Tatum, but Lillard should seem to have a role as a backup guard who make shots. Ultimately, I think Payton Pritchard already provides Lillard’s skill set, and he’s just hitting his prime. It feels like there are better options for both parties.
4. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers want to get younger and more athletic around Luka Doncic, and Lillard doesn’t fit that profile. He could be a damn good backup to Luka in a small role, though. LA is rumored to have interest in Lillard, and I would imagine Lillard has interest in the Lakers, too. I just worry having Lillard, Doncic, and Austin Rivers all the same roster would weaken the depth of the perimeter defense too much.
3. Golden State Warriors
Lillard is from Oakland, so this would count as a homecoming. The Warriors already have three veteran stars in Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, so why not a fourth? Lillard would be an ideal backup for Curry, and could give opponents 48 minutes of hell trying to guard against pull-up threes. Butler and Green would be well-suited to cover Dame defensively. I like the fit here, but I wonder if the Warriors will really be a contender by the time Lillard is ready to take the floor again.
2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets loaded up this offseason for another championship run. Adding Lillard would give them a new dimension ahead of the 2027 championship chase, and provide some insurance in case Jamal Murray suffers another injury. Denver rehabbed Russell Westbrook effectively last year as he turned in one of the better seasons of his post-prime. Lillard would seem to be an even better fit alongside Nikola Jokic. With Denver hunting a championship, Lillard seems like a good match for their bench unit.
1. Orlando Magic
The Magic feel like a legitimate threat to win the Eastern Conference this season after landing Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies to open the summer. Bane is a perfect fit for a team with an elite defense that desperately needs shooting. Lillard fits right in, too. Dame is a better pick-and-roll ball handler than anyone on Orlando’s roster, and his pull-up shooting would add a new dimension to the Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner pairing. Lillard would also be a wonderful mentor for another small guard who can shoot it at a high level: recent Magic draft pick Jase Richardson. If Dame wants to have a real role on a contender, the Magic feel like a top option.
