Damian Lillard coming home to Portland Trail Blazers on new contract: Report
Jared Cowley (KGW)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW) — Damian Lillard is coming home to Portland.
The franchise's all-time leading scorer is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday afternoon, just shy of two years after he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The deal will include a player option for the 2027-28 season and a no-trade clause.
"A storybook reunion home," Charania wrote.
Lillard, 35, will rehabilitate a torn Achilles tendon during the upcoming 2025-26 season, after which the plan is that he'll take the court for Portland next season.
The list of accolades for Lillard's career is long. He's the Portland Trail Blazers' all-time leading scorer, an Olympic gold medalist, a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, a nine-time All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA selection, an All-Star Game MVP, and a former Rookie of the Year.
In 11 seasons with the Blazers, Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. In the past two seasons in Milwaukee, he averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.
The reason this move will resonate so much with Blazers fans is not just what Lillard did on the court, but his connection to the community, from his RESPECT program, to visits he made to area schools, to shoe giveaways to kids, to his youth foundation, his work as a global ambassador for the Special Olympics, his adorable children, and his unconditional love for Portland, the Blazers and their fans.
Charania reported that Lillard met with the Blazers general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups multiples times over the past couple weeks since he was waived by Milwaukee.
Lillard had multiple offers from NBA contenders, including for the mid-level exception ($14.1 million annually) and a minimum salary ($5.7 million). But he chose Portland because "where his family and kids reside were of the ultimate importance," Charania wrote.
On multiple occasions since the trade, Lillard said he would one day return to complete his NBA career in Portland. That final stretch begins today.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
