The Portland Trail Blazers are laying out the red carpet for Damian Lillard’s return from injury next season.
Portland is hiring longtime NBA assistant coach Jay Triano to join their coaching staff, veteran NBA writer Chris Haynes reported on Monday. Triano is set to serve as an assistant under new Blazers head coach Micah Nori.
The 67-year-old Triano has vast experience as an NBA coach, including over two decades as an assistant. Triano also used to be the head coach of the Toronto Raptors from 2002-08 and the interim head coach of the Phoenix Suns from 2016-17.
On top of that, Triano has some notable history with the Blazers franchise icon Lillard. Triano previously served as an assistant coach for Portland from 2012-16.
During his first stint with the Blazers, Triano developed a close relationship with Lillard. Having arrived during Lillard’s rookie year in 2012-13, Triano helped develop Lillard from a little-known guard out of Weber State into a perennial NBA All-Star.
Now set to turn 36 later this month, Lillard will be making his return from a 2025 Achilles tear in the 2026-27 NBA season. Portland already made a seismic trade acquisition earlier this offseason, and now they are bringing back a longtime Lillard favorite in the form of Triano.
