Damian Lillard’s return to Portland comes as the Trail Blazers introduce a new backcourt with Ja Morant, following Morant’s arrival to the team. Yahoo Sports reports that in Morant’s first game in a Blazers uniform—during a 123-118 preseason win over the Golden State Warriors—his performance is not spotless, though he and the team view it as an early step.
Across outlets, the focus is on how quickly the pairing is coming together. The Athletic says Portland’s staff and players are pleased with Morant’s attitude during the early stretch, and that the “Morant experience” in the backcourt is generating positive reactions. Newsweek similarly frames the moment as the start of a new era, emphasizing Lillard’s return and the debut of the shared backcourt. Yahoo Sports adds that after practice, Morant offers a candid self-assessment and suggests his role alongside Lillard could help unlock the team’s potential as preseason work continues.
