Damian Lillard continues to show loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers. On Friday, Stargarde reached an agreement with the team on a two-year, $122 million extension Yahoo Sports. The extension will keep Lillard in a Trail Blazers uniform during the 2025-26 NBA season and includes a player option for the 26-27 season.
Lillard is now one of the highest total earners in NBA history with an estimated $451 million in career earnings per year Shine Charania. He will earn at least $42 million in each of the next five seasons. Here’s a breakdown of Lillard’s updated contract status via ESPN’s Bobby Marks:
Lillard, 31, played in just 29 games for Portland last season due to an abdominal injury and surgery. He had previously made four consecutive All-Star teams and was in the top 10 on MVP voting multiple times. He was also named one of the top 75 players in NBA history during the league’s 75th anniversary celebrations last season.
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After abdominal surgery, Lillard says he’s doing better and is understandably eager to get back on the pitch next season.
“I’m feeling great,” Lillard said while watching the Blazers at a Summer League game in Las Vegas on Friday, “it was one of those things that’s been bugging me for the last four and a half years … Obviously last season I was a Step slowly, I felt very uncomfortable and wanted to fight my way through. I never didn’t want to play it, but it just got to the point where I just had to play it smarter. I met with some specialists and I went under the knife.
“I had surgery and it was pretty aggressive rehab and I came back pretty quickly and then it was just about building my strength back up and getting comfortable with certain movements,” Lillard added. “Now my body is stronger than before in certain areas just because I kind of had to build it from scratch. So I’m happy and excited to be feeling good and playing again… I think going into next season I’ll be more ready to get back into the game than I’ve ever been and better prepared physically for it as well.”
With Lillard sidelined for most of last season, Portland unsurprisingly missed the postseason for the first time since the 2012-13 season. With a healthy, recharged Lillard and some key offseason signings like Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II, the Trail Blazers will be looking to climb straight back into the Western Conference playoffs next season.