Latest news with #Lillard
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Boston Celtics reportedly tabled offer to veteran All-Star
On Thursday, July 17, the Boston Celtics missed out on Damian Lillard. The veteran guard signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard had been a free agent after the Milwaukee Bucks bought him out of his contract earlier this summer. His deal to return to Portland sees him earn $42 million over the next three years, and that's before the salary he's owed by the Bucks. Given Lillard's deal with the Trail Blazers, it's easy to see why the Celtics struggled to place a competitive offer. Boston, after all, is currently trying to duck under the second luxury tax apron. Brad Stevens has already traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to help the franchise reach its goal. Nevertheless, it would appear the Celtics did make an offer to Lillard during his limited time as a free agent. "He was going to spend the year rehabbing his Achilles tear in the Portland area anyways," ESPN's Shams Charania said. "So returning to the Blazers franchise, even though he requested a trade just two years ago, was something he deeply cared about. And Boston, Minnesota, dozens of other teams had minimum and mid-level exception offers out to Damian Lillard in the last several weeks." Lillard's fit in Boston would have been questionable at best. He needs the ball in his hands to be an effective member of the rotation. Furthermore, there's no telling what type of player he will be when he returns from his Achilles injury at nearly age-36. Still, the Celtics likely viewed Lillard as a low-cost, high-reward pickup. Now, with Lillard off the table, Stevens must continue exploring ways to re-tool Boston's roster. After all, the aim is to get back into contention once Jayson Tatum returns to the rotation in the 2026-27 season, following his Achilles tendon injury in the 2025 playoffs. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics Are The Frontrunners For Damian Lillard After Major Recruitment Pitch
Boston Celtics Are The Frontrunners For Damian Lillard After Major Recruitment Pitch originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Boston Celtics have been very active this summer as they accommodate the injury to Jayson Tatum. As they prepare for what will likely be a down year, they've been mostly selling some of their older, more established players. According to NBA insider Scott Berges, however, they are in the advanced stages of working out a deal to bring in 9x All-Star guard, Damian Lillard. "I'm told Jayson Tatum has been in contact with Damian Lillard 'every single day' since the guard got released from the Bucks," wrote Berges. "Damian Lillard is meeting with the Celtics on July 7th. That's what I've been told. Lucky to have such a behind-the-scenes connection. The meeting is private. Nobody outside of the Celtics Org. is supposed to know!" Since Lillard's buyout from the Bucks, he's been pursued by several NBA franchises hoping to land the sharpshooter for a bargain. He has yet to make up his mind on where he'll play next, but the Celtics are reportedly on his short list of preferred destinations, and they've already been in contact with each other this season. "Damian Lillard has been in 'constant contact' with both Jayson Tatum and Brad Stevens," Berges continued. "All signs point to him signing in Boston, I'm told by my contact." Lillard, 34, has accomplished a lot over 13 years in the NBA. As a 9x All-Star, 7x All-NBA player, and the Trail Blazers' all-time leading scorer, he's earned his title as one of the best point guards in the modern NBA. Still, he has yet to win a championship in the NBA and has only ever gone as far as the Western Conference Finals. Now that he's a free agent for the first time, Lillard has total control over his next destination, and he wants to ensure it's someplace he can win. Even after trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday this summer, the Celtics are still in a good position to compete thanks to the presence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Together, they will keep the Celtics relevant in the East for years to come, and Lillard could be an addition that enhances their potential. With career averages of 24.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 43.9% shooting, he's a beast on offense who excels as a shooter and playmaker from the outside. After tearing his Achilles for the Bucks in April, it's likely that Lillard will never be the same again, but he has enough experience, work ethic, and natural talent to still be effective on the court when he eventually returns. If his goal is to win, there may be no better team to join than the Celtics, who have a pair of stars in Tatum and Brown who have already gone all the way. With head coach Joe Mazzulla and a culture of winning, they have the recipe for a potential title run, and it would do wonders for Lillard's legacy if he was along for the ride. The good news is, they are leading the race so far with the meeting on Monday (July 7) set to decide his fate once and for story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Damian Lillard Finalizing $42M Contract To Return To Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard Finalizing $42M Contract To Return To Trail Blazers originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Damian Lillard is coming home. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the nine-time All-Star is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers—a stunning twist in one of the NBA's most dramatic recent storylines. The new deal reportedly includes a player option for 2027–28 and a no-trade clause, giving Lillard full control over his future as he rejoins the franchise where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career. "Nine-time NBA All-Star 'Damian Lillard is finalizing a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers," reported Shams Charania on Thursday. "Deal is expected to include a player option in 2027-28 and a no-trade clause. " Lillard, 35, is recovering from an Achilles tear and is expected to miss most of the 2025–26 season. Still, between his annual Bucks salary and the $42 million he'll make from the Blazers, Dame is set to make a fortune over the next two years. "Lillard now will have a 2025-26 set salary of $70M between his Portland and Milwaukee deals, and a salary of $141M over the next two years ahead of an opt-out in 2027," wrote Shams. "Blazers officials and Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management are finalizing terms this week." Lillard left the franchise in 2023 after 11 years with the team. It was an ugly parting at the time, but both sides were eager to reunite after several meetings over the past few weeks. "Lillard and the Trail Blazers both deeply cared about the comeback in recent weeks, with multiple meetings among the Portland franchise icon, general manager Joe Cronin, and head coach Chauncey Billups to bond together and move forward united on a new deal," Charania continued. It's been a whirlwind for Lillard since leaving Portland and joining the Bucks. Initially, he dreamt of winning a title with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but after a disappointing run, Milwaukee waived and stretched his contract, ending the partnership earlier than expected. Now, he gets the chance to play out a storybook ending with the team he never wanted to leave. Of course, Lillard isn't joining the same Blazers team. When he left two years ago, they were still learning the game and finding their identity as one of the youngest teams in the league. Now, the roster has changed, and veterans like Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic are gone, while rising prospects such as Donovan Clingan, Deni Avdija, and Yang Hansen headline a much younger core. At this stage of his career, Lillard may no longer be the dominant scorer he once was, but the Blazers still believe he can make a major impact. Beyond the box score, he brings leadership, mentorship, and a deep connection to Rip City—intangibles that could help mold this young team into something special. In the end, Lillard didn't just choose a team—he chose home. In an era where stars chase rings and greener pastures, Dame's return to Portland is a rare moment of loyalty, legacy, and unfinished business. Whether he helps spark a new era or simply guides the next generation, Rip City is ready to embrace its icon once story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Damian Lillard Returned To Trail Blazers For $42 Million With An Updated Injury Rehab Timeline
Why Damian Lillard Returned To Trail Blazers For $42 Million With An Updated Injury Rehab Timeline originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Damian Lillard has confirmed his return to the Portland Trail Blazers after signing a three-year, $42 million contract with them. Following this news, Shams Charania, ESPN's senior NBA Insider, appeared on SportsCenter and revealed the main motivation why Lillard rejoined the Trail Blazers altogether. He claimed that Lillard wants to be a family man, especially during his rehabilitation from injury, and the Trailblazers were the only team that allowed him to do that with his family, who stay in Portland. "Being home in Portland, being back with his three kids, was by far the biggest, most important factor in Damian Lillard returning to re-sign with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was going to spend the year rehabbing his Achilles tear in the Portland area anyway. So, returning to the Blazers franchise, even though he requested a trade just two years ago, was something he deeply cared about." "Boston, Minnesota, and dozens of other teams had minimum and mid-level exception offers out to Damian Lillard in the last several weeks. But I'm told Lillard as well as Joe Cronin, the Blazers GM and head coach Chauncey Billups met in Damian Lillard's home over the last few weeks and figured out how they're going to reunite, bond, and move forward." Lillard is still playing at an All-Star level and was selected for his ninth All-Star game last season. He averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds for the Bucks in 2024-25 before he was eventually waived in free agency. In the same appearance on SportsCenter, Charania also gave an approximate timeline for Lillard's return to action. 'Damian Lillard is expected to use the entire 2025-26 season to rehab the Achilles tear, and then return for the Portland Trail Blazers to make his reunion and return in that arena in 2026-27 ahead of a player option that he'll have the summer of 2027.' 'So now, Damian Lillard is going to be in Portland. He'll be able to rehab there, spend time in the community there, and be a leader for a young roster. Portland was 22-18 to end last season, they were a top-five defensive team as well, so this is a team that is clearly rebuilding, retooling.' 'And think just two years ago, they traded Damian Lillard for Jrue Holiday, then they traded Jrue Holiday for more assets, and now they have Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and all these players and assets that they've been able to build up and deepen this team.' Damian Lillard now becomes one of only two players in the NBA with a full 'no-trade' clause given in the contract. LeBron James is the only other player to have that in his contract. Players like Jaxson Hayes have an implicit version of that, but it is not explicitly stated in the contract. Lillard's rehabilitation back into the Portland community will be a sight to behold. Will the people of Portland accept their legend, who requested a trade just two years ago? Or will he have to rise from the ashes like a phoenix to regain the people's trust? Let us know what you think in the comments story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Trail Blazers' Yang Hansen honors Damian Lillard after signing news
Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen showed love to new teammate Damian Lillard on Thursday following the news that the nine-time All-Star would be rejoining the organization. Lillard has reportedly agreed to sign a three-year, $42 million contract with the Trail Blazers after he was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on July 6. He spent the first 11 years of his career in Portland before requesting a trade from the organization in July 2023. Shams Charania of ESPN was the first to report the news. The Trail Blazers' all-time leading scorer is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season to rehabilitate a torn left Achilles tendon sustained on April 27. He underwent surgery to repair the injury on May 2 and is expected to make a full recovery. Though Lillard won't play next year, his addition has created buzz around the team after the group appeared to take a step forward in the second half of last season. Yang honored Lillard by recreating his patented "Dame Time" celebration, via Ben Golliver of the Washington Post. Yang is in the midst of a productive showing with the Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League. The 7-footer is averaging 10.8 points, five rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 blocks on 45.7% shooting from the field, including 33.3% from 3-point range, in four appearances with the team. The 16th pick is highly touted for his overall skill set and ability as a player who can work in the paint, space the floor and protect the paint. He projects to contribute well at the next level and is eager to get to work with Lillard and the rest of the team next season.
