LAS VEGAS — Damian Lillard was smiling. Why wouldn’t he be? The NBA offseason was less than two weeks old and already Lillard had emerged a big winner from it. Last week, from a dais inside the Thomas & Mack Center, Lillard, flanked by Portland GM Joe Cronin and coach Chauncey Billups, formally announced his two-year contract extension. The deal—which reportedly adds $122 million to Lillard’s contract, bringing its total remaining value to $258 million and guaranteeing the All-NBA guard more than $450 million in career earnings—keeps Lillard tied to the Blazers through the 2026–27 season.
Or does it?
Lillard is firm about his desire to win in Portland. “Something that’s missing in our league is character,” Lillard said at the press conference. “And the fight and the passion and pride about not just the name on the back, but the name on the front.” There’s no reason to doubt him. For years fans and media have speculated about Lillard’s future. He hasn’t. Lillard has remained loyal to the small-market Blazers, emphasizing only a desire to see a winning team built around him.
