Lillard returning to Blazers on reported 3-year, $42M deal

Damian Lillard is heading back to Portland.

The nine-time All-Star point guard plans to sign with the Trail Blazers, the team he spent his first 11 seasons with, Lillard announced on Twitter.

Lillard and the Blazers are now in the process of finalizing a three-year, $42-million contract, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. His deal reportedly includes a player option for 2027-28 and a full no-trade clause.

Lillard, who will join LeBron James as one of just two active players to own full no-trade protection, became eligible for one by signing with the Trail Blazers, according to journalist Marc Stein.

He's expected to sit out the upcoming season as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, according to Charania. He suffered the injury during the first round of this past postseason while with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee in September 2023. However, the Bucks didn't get past the first round in his two seasons with the team. Following his injury, the Bucks chose to waive Lillard and stretch the remainder of his $113-million contract to free up cap space for Myles Turner.

Lillard will earn a total annual salary of $70 million between the Blazers and Bucks over the next two campaigns, per Charania.

Drafted sixth overall out of Weber State in 2012, Lillard made seven All-NBA teams and won the 2013 Rookie of the Year award, among other honors, during his first stint in Portland. He's the Trail Blazers' franchise leader in points, points per game, and three-pointers while ranking second in assists and third in games played.

Lillard led Portland to eight playoff appearances over his first 11 seasons, including a Western Conference finals berth in 2019. However, he's returning to a Blazers team that went 36-46 in 2024-25 and hasn't made the playoffs since 2021.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors all reportedly had interest in signing Lillard before he chose to return to Portland.