Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers have been together since 2013. In the years that have followed, Dame has emerged as one of the best point guards in the game.
And while postseason success has been limited for Dame’s Blazers, it is not enough to send him looking for the exit. In fact, as of a few hours ago, Lillard is locked in for a few more years after reaching an agreement on a new two-year, $122 million extension.
(via Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports):
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is close to an agreement on a two-year, $122 million extension, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Lillard is coming off an injury-riddled season where he played in only 29 games, the fewest of his career. He averaged 24 points and 7.3 assists in 36.4 minutes per game last season.
He underwent abdominal surgery for a lingering injury and was shut down as the Trail Blazers fell out of playoff contention. The six-time All-Star is still the Blazers’ centerpiece as they attempt to rebuild after a down season. They drafted Shaedon Sharpe, who did not play in his one season at Kentucky, with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
Yahoo Sources: Damian Lillard and Portland Trail Blazers finalizing a two-year, $122 million extension. https://t.co/x8vbjvJ47E
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2022
This new deal makes Dame one of the league’s highest earners, but is he really worth all the money?
On the court, Lillard isn’t quite on the level of Steph, Durant, or Giannis. But he’s a guy that can be the best player on a championship team, and the Blazers know that he is the only thing keeping them relevant.
By securing him for a few extra years, Portland can avoid speculation about the future and focus on building a roster that can support a run to the Finals. After finishing 13th in the West this season, the team has a long way to go before they’re a threat to any of the elite teams sitting at the top of the league.
