Damian Lillard hints at NBA retirement with cryptic response

Damian Lillard spent the first 11 years of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, after failing to reach a significant stage in the postseason for more than decade, Dame finally departed the franchise.

As a result, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a blockbuster trade during the summer of 2023. Since joining the Bucks, Lillard has hardly impacted the game at the same level as he did in Portland.

In case he fails to win an NBA Championship with the Bucks in the coming seasons, it's possible that the 34-year-old star test the waters in free agency.

After all, he has a chance to enter free agency in the summer of 2026 if he decides to opt out of his $58.4 million player option. But what if Dame is planning to leave the NBA behind entirely once his current deal expires?

Indeed, the eight-time NBA All-Star recently gave a cryptic response about potentially playing in the EuroLeague.

"It's something I've talked about with some members of my family the past two years but not seriously thought about," Lillard said, via Toni Canyameras from Mundo Deportivo. "What if I went and played on a Euroleague team just because of the experience at the end of my career? But it's something I haven't seriously thought about. But you never know."

Playing in Europe is not everyone's cup of tea. Many overseas players have claimed that it's much easier to score in the NBA as compared to the EuroLeague.

Right now, Lillard isn't "seriously" thinking about it, but he has certainly dropped a cryptic hint about his potential NBA retirement in the future.