Damian Lillard continues to show loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers. On Friday, the star guard agreed to a two-year, $122 million extension with the team, according to Yahoo Sports. The extension will keep Lillard in a Trail Blazers uniform through the 2025-26 NBA season, and it includes a player option for the '26-27 season.
Lillard now becomes one of the highest total earners in NBA history with an estimated $451 million in career earnings, per Shams Charania. He will make 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, appeared in just 29 games for Portland last season due to an abdominal injury and surgery. Prior to that, he had made four consecutive All-Star teams and he has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting several times. He was also named one of the top 75 players in NBA history as part of the league's 75th anniversary celebration this past season.
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Following the abdominal surgery, Lillard says he is feeling better and he's understandably eager to get back out on the court next season.
"I feel great," Lillard said while watching the Blazers play a Summer League game in Las Vegas on Friday, "It was one of those things that had been bothering me over the past four and a half years... Obviously last season I was a step slow, I was uncomfortable a lot, and I wanted to fight through it. I never wanted not to play, but it just got to the point where I just had to play it smarter. I met with some specialists, and I had to go under the knife.
"I got the surgery and it was a pretty aggressive rehab, and I got back pretty quick and then it was just a matter of building my strength back up and getting comfortable with certain movements," Lillard added. "Now my body is stronger than it was before in certain areas just because I had to kind of build it up from scratch. So, I'm happy and excited to be comfortable and to be back playing... I think going into next season, I'll be more ready to get back into it than I ever have, and more prepared physically to do that too."
With Lillard sidelined for the bulk of last season, Portland unsurprisingly missed the postseason for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign. Now with a healthy, recharged Lillard and some key offseason additions like Jerami Grant and Gary Payton II, the Trail Blazers will be looking to climb right back into the playoff picture in the Western Conference next season.
NBA free agency: Damian Lillard agrees to two-year, $122 million extension with Trail Blazers, per report - CBS Sports
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