It is locked on NBA offseason game night for the night of Tuesday, July 22nd on today's show.

Damien Lillard says Portland is a perfect basketball situation for him.

It sounds crazy, but it also might be true.

Plus, we get yet another sign that the Lakers are moving towards the future without LeBron James.

Let's jump in.

When that final buzzer rings, you know it's time for Locked-on NBA Game Night.

All the post-game reactions to every game across the league, every single night, with insights only the hosts that Locked-on can provide.

It's the true NBA fans one-stop for all the actions.

Every game, every night. It's Locked-on NBA game night,

tipping off now. All right, welcome to Locked on NBA game night. Every game every night in 30

minutes, West Goldberg here with Danny Cunningham from Locked on Cavaliers, however you might be

tuning in on YouTube or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for making Lockdown NBA your first listen every day. Today's episode is brought to you by Fandual. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins with Fandul. Have a jam-pack show for you today. Luca Donchich has been busy recruiting for the Lakers and more than one contender might be eyeing Ben Simmons. We'll talk about all of that here in a second, but let's

start in Portland where Damien Allard was reintroduced as a member of the Trail Blazers,

and he told the media that it was as much a basketball decision as it was a family decision.

Here's Mike Richmond from Lockdown Blazers with Moore.

It's Achilles injury. He was like, he's obviously going to be 36 and playing his 14th NBA season

and then like yada, yada, yada. Like I understand what's going to happen in October of 2026. I'm not,

I'm not, I have access to a calendar and the sort of understanding of the linear passage of time.

But dude's been balling. And so when he sees himself and thinks about himself, he pictures himself balling. He thinks All-Star Damien Lillard is going to be back being an all-star. And so when he was making this decision to come home, he said, it wasn't just a family decision. It was a basketball decision. It was probably a basketball decision in his eyes more than it was a family decision now I don't know if I

totally believe that but to hear dame tell it he watches this team and he says

the Blazers are the type of team that wins in this league because things have

changed and how you win is with youth and with depth and with athleticism and

...