Breaking NBA Signing: Damian Lillard Signs New 3-Year Deal
It's a storybook ending to the Damian Lillard saga. It's Dame Time once again in the Pacific Northwest. Lillard is heading back to the team with whom he became a legend, signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
BREAKING‼️
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) July 17, 2025
Damian Lillard is finallizing a 3-year, $42 million contract to return to the Trail Blazers.
per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/PJeDWfgeZn
As noted by Shams Charania, who broke the news, Lillard and the Trail Blazers "both deeply cared" about making this comeback a reality, and he met "multiple" times with Portland GM Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups to "make amends," as noted by Chris Haynes.
Portland GM Joe Cronin met at the star’s house weeks ago and the two made amends and focused their attention on getting a deal done to give Lillard the opportunity to retire as a Trail Blazer. https://t.co/h4XNp555W3
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 17, 2025
The Trail Blazers traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2023, putting a shocking end to an 11-year marriage, to give him a chance to compete on a contender, with Giannis Antetokounmpo. But after the 35-year-old tore his Achilles during the first round of the playoffs back in April, Milwaukee decided to buy him out and waive him.
Between what the Bucks still owe him, and his new deal with Portland, Lillard will be earning $70M in 2025-26, even though he'll have to sit out the entire season rehabbing his Achilles.
He'll hopefully return to the Blazers in 2026-27, at the age of 36. Lillard is a nine-time NBA All-Star, with a career average of 25 points per game, with 6.7 assists, and a 37% mark from three-point range.
