July 23, Damian Lillard officially returned to the Portland Trail Blazers. After parting ways with the Milwaukee Bucks, the 35-year-old nine-time NBA All-Star guard signed a three-year, $45 million new contract, marking the restart of his relationship with the Trail Blazers.

Lillard sat next to head coach Billups and general manager Joe Cronin at the press conference , with the words " These roots are deep in this land " displayed on the background screen. He said: " This is not a difficult decision, because it never feels right to leave. " Two years ago, Lillard requested a trade and eventually went to the Bucks, but was cut by the team after suffering an Achilles tendon tear.

Although he couldn't return to the court immediately, Lillard did not lower his expectations. His first reaction when he was injured was not fear or frustration, but determination to return with the same strong attitude.

Lillard admitted at the press conference that previous disagreements were mostly due to misunderstandings and lack of communication. " Before leaving, there were indeed a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication ... Joe and I never sat down to talk about these things, which was a mistake. " He said that even before Cronin became the general manager, the relationship between the two had always been good.

In fact, as early as when he returned to Portland on behalf of the Bucks, Lillard took the initiative to greet Cronin and Chairman Jody Allen to express his respect. Cronin recalled that after the news of the trade came out, a former Trail Blazers player immediately sent a text message: " Everything is finally back on track. "

As Lillard returns to the starting point wearing the familiar Blazers jersey, this story that was once interrupted by misunderstanding and separation is ushering in a new chapter. Whether it is the fans, the team, or Lillard himself, they all understand that this is not only the signing of a contract, but also the return of a sense of belonging.