Lillard confirmed his return with a video showing a locker with his name on it in the team's locker room.
After being released by the Milwaukee Bucks, Damian Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. The NBA All-Star previously defended the franchise for 11 years of his career. The information is from Shams Charania, from ESPN North America, this Thursday.
According to the journalist, the agreement includes a player option in 2027-28 and a clause that prevents him from being traded. On social media, Lillard confirmed his return with a video showing a locker with his name on it in the team’s locker room. At the end, he included the phrase “together again.”
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Lillard left Milwaukee as part of a necessary move for the franchise to acquire center Myles Turner, who was available on the market after participating as one of the pillars in the campaign that led the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals .
Amid interest from several teams, the point guard maintained contact with representatives from the Blazers, who were focused on facilitating his return. Charania noted that the 25-year-old had multiple meetings with general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups to hammer out a new contract.
Furthermore, insider Chris Haynes added that Cronin visited Lillard’s house weeks ago to discuss amendments and join forces to finalize the negotiations. Moreover, both the manager and the player expressed interest in creating an agreement that would allow the point guard to retire as a member of the Blazers.
Returning to Portland, where his family lives, was one of the biggest triggers for Lillard’s return to the team that selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 Draft. Above all, the difficult time the athlete is going through in his career has reinforced the need to have his loved ones close by.
The nine-time All-Star ruptured his Achilles tendon during Game 4 between the Bucks and Pacers in last season’s playoffs. After undergoing surgery in May, he began a lengthy recovery process that is expected to continue throughout much of the upcoming campaign.
It’s difficult to predict how the star will return to the court after his recovery, especially considering the severity of an Achilles injury and the fact that he will turn 36 in the 2026-27 season. On the other hand, Portland won’t have to shell out an astronomical sum to invest in a star player. The player was even named to the All-NBA teams seven times.
This is because, in order to cut the athlete, Milwaukee had to extend the current contract by five years and, therefore, will be responsible for paying around US$23 million to the player until 2030. The high value allowed the Blazers to acquire Lillard for an average of US$14 million per year, a much lower number for a player of his caliber.
Even with the player’s injury-related doubts, Damian Lillard’s return to the Blazers is a source of great excitement for fans. In 11 years with Oregon, the point guard established himself as the organization’s biggest idol, leading the team to eight playoff appearances—including a conference finals appearance in 2018-19.
He also leads the league in points and three-point field goals made, as well as second in assists. He averages 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 37.2% shooting from the perimeter in 769 games for Portland.
Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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