Damian Lillard won't be leaving the Portland Trail Blazers anytime soon. According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, Lillard and the Blazers are nearing an agreement on a four-year extension worth a whopping $196 million. Lillard still has two years left on his current deal, so this extension would begin in 2021.
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is working toward agreement on a four-year, $196 million super maximum contract extension, league sources told @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2019
Lillard is coming off another fantastic season, during which he was once again an All-Star, and also made the All-NBA Second Team. And then, of course, there were his heroics in the postseason, which included the second series-winning buzzer beater of his career when he drilled a deep 3-pointer in Game 5 of the Blazers' first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the end, Lillard helped lead the Blazers to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2000. Though they were swept by the Golden State Warriors, it was an incredible run for the Blazers, who did so without their starting center, Jusuf Nurkic.
With Nurkic expected back for next season, and the power balance in the West upset by the injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, plus Durant's potential departure, the Blazers have a chance to contend not only next season, but possibly for the next few seasons.
In truth, even if they aren't quite a title contender moving forward, locking up Lillard for the foreseeable future is a wise move. He's one of the league's best point guards and has stepped up time and time again in big moments. Plus, he's spent his entire career with the Blazers and become a fan favorite in a one-team town. There was no reason for the Blazers to let Lillard come anywhere near free agency.
