LOCALS IN THE NBA
Report: Damian Lillard Close To Finalizing Two-Year Max Contract Extension With Blazers
SALT LAKE CITY – According to multiple reports, former Weber State star Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers are close to finalizing a two-year max extension.
Damian Lillard is close to agreement on a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Portland Trail Blazers through the 2026-27 season. The extra two years on his contract is reportedly worth $121.7 million.
Multiple national outlets have reported the news, including Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes.
BREAKING: Damian Lillard and Portland Trail Blazers are close to finalizing an agreement on a two-year, close to $122 million max extension, league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2022
Spotrac has the breakdown of how much Lillard is expected to make each season through the end of his contract. He is set to make $42.4 million this season. That will increase to $45.6 million in 2023-24 before making $48.7 million during the 2024-25 season.
The last two years of his deal is what is being reported on Friday, which is expected to be around $58.5 million in 2025-26 and $63.2 million in 2026-27.
BREAKING: Damian Lillard and Portland Trail Blazers are close to finalizing an agreement on a two-year, close to $122 million max extension, league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2022
Lillard was drafted by the Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. In 10 NBA seasons, all with Portland, Lillard has averaged 24.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.
He has been named an All-Star six times throughout his career. This past season, Lillard was hampered with injuries, playing in just 29 games. Portland overhauled their roster by trading backcourt mate C.J. McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans.
This past off-season, the Blazers have been busy, signing former Golden State Warriors and NBA champion guard Gary Payton II, while also acquiring Jerami Grant from the Detroit Pistons. They also signed center Jusuf Nurkic to a four-year deal to stay in Portland.
Former Jazzman Joe Ingles spent time with Lillard and the Blazers at the end of last season but he didn’t play for the team after tearing his ACL while with the Jazz.
The Blazers finished the 2021-22 season in 13th place in the western conference with a 27-55 record. They selected Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
