Damian Lillard surprised the NBA world by re-signing with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lillard spent 10 years with the Blazers after being drafted by Portland in 2012. He was an icon in the city, leading the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 and hitting multiple legendary playoff game winners.
A top-75 player of all time, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023 in pursuit of a championship. But the Bucks waived Lillard after he tore his Achilles during the playoffs last season.
The LA Clippers were favourites to sign Lillard, but he instead opted to return to Portland this summer, signing a three-year deal, and he is set to make a lot of money during that time.
How much Damian Lillard will make over the next three seasons
Lillard signed a three-year, $41.6 million contract with the Blazers, but his earnings don’t stop there. The Bucks still owe Lillard $112.6 million over the next two seasons from his previous contract with them.
That means the nine-time NBA All-Star is set to make $154.2 million over the next three years. He will earn $68 million per year for the upcoming season, $72.3 million for the one after, and then finish his deal with Portland, making $13.9 million in the 2027-28 season.
| Season | Milwaukee Bucks | Portland Trail Blazers | Total |
| 2025-26 | $54,126,450 | $13,868,667 | $67,995,117 |
| 2026-27 | $58,456,566 | $13,868,667 | $72,325,233 |
| 2027-28 | – | $13,868,667 | $13,868,667 |
| Total | $112,583,016 | $41,606,000 | $154,189,017 |
His time in Milwaukee didn’t go as planned, but Lillard is making a pretty penny out of the Bucks.
And while Lillard will be paid for the next two seasons, the Bucks will be carrying the salary hit for the next five. When they waived Lillard, the Bucks stretched his contract over the next five seasons to free up cap space.
The Bucks signed Myles Turner with that space, which allows them to compete now and appease an unhappy Giannis Antetokounmpo. But they will carry a $22 million salary hit for five years, which limits their flexibility moving forward.
The Portland Trail Blazers sold stability to Damian Lillard
Moving back to the Blazers means Lillard has effectively given up his pursuit of an NBA title. Portland have an exciting young cast of stars, but is not near the top of the pecking order in a highly competitive Western Conference.
Lillard’s Achilles tear will see him sidelined for most, if not all, of next season. Now the veteran guard can be around his children during that time.
It was widely reported that Lillard was unhappy living in Milwaukee. Now he is back to the place he considers home. He also has a no-trade clause in his contract, allowing him to build a stable life with his family for the foreseeable future.