Veteran guard Damian Lillard is set to rejoin the Portland Trail Blazers. File Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez/UPI | License Photo
Damian Lillard is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers, the NBA All-Star announced on social media.
Lillard confirmed that he agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract with the franchise Thursday on Instagram. The 13-year veteran, who was waived last month by the Milwaukee Bucks, will miss the entire 2025-26 campaign as he recovers from a torn Achilles.
“RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!” Lillard wrote for the caption on an Instagram video of the announcement, which featured footage of the Blazers’ locker room, including his jersey inside one of the lockers.
Lillard, 35, is set to make a total of $70 million in 2025-26, between money from both the Blazers and Bucks. His new deal includes at opt-out in 2027. The nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game over 58 starts last season for the Bucks.
Lillard was sidelined in March due to a right calf injury. He was later diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot — in the area and didn’t return until the postseason. He went on to tear his left Achilles during the Bucks’ first-round series with the Indiana Pacers.
He underwent surgery to repair his Achilles in May in Los Angeles.
The NBA star, who joined the Bucks in a 2023 trade involving the Blazers and Phoenix Suns, entered the league as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game over his first 11 seasons with the Blazers. He scored a career-best 32.2 points per game in 2022-23, his last season with the Blazers.
