Shams Charania details why Damian Lillard chose return to Blazers | SportsCenter

Shams Charania details why Damian Lillard chose return to Blazers | SportsCenter

Damen Lillard is headed back to Portland on a three-year $42 million deal. Remember two years ago what he wanted out of Portland? Then he got traded to the Bucks. And now after being waved by Milwaukee with an opportunity to go anywhere he wanted, Damen Lillard is heading back to where he started. For more on this huge news, we now welcome in Sham Shirani. Shams, this is one of the more surprising stories, at least to me. Dame Lillard left Portland about two years ago to pursue a championship. Now he’s going back to a Portland team that’s not quite on that championship path just yet. So why did he decide to go back? Ryan, being home in Portland, being back with his three kids was by far the biggest, most important factor in Damian Lillard deciding to return and resign with the Trailblazers. He was going to spend the year rehabbing his Achilles tear in the Portland area anyways. 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 Damen Lillard in the last several weeks. But I’m told Lillard as well as Joe Cronin, the Blazers GM, head coach Chanty Bilips, they all met at Dame Lillard’s home in recent weeks and figured out how they were going to bond and reunite and move forward on a deal. Three years, $42 million. He has a player option in the third year as well. And now him and LeBron the only players in the NBA now with a full no trade clause. And next year, Ryan Dame Lillard will make $70 million between his Bucks and Blazers salaries. In the next two years, he’ll be at 140 million combined in salaries. Wow, that is huge. And you know what? I know a lot of times we say, “Hey, people should be championship robust.” I can certainly understand the idea of wanting to return home to where your family is. So, what’s the timeline for Dame’s return? Ryan Dam Lillard is expected to use the entire 202526 season to rehab the Achilles tear and then return for the Portland Trailblazers, 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 Dame Lillard is going to be in Portland. He’ll be able to rehab there, spend time in the community there, be a young uh leader for a young roster. And Portland was 22 and 18 to end last season. They were top five defensive team as well. And so this is a team that’s clearly rebuilding, retooling. And think just two years ago they traded Dame Lillard for Drew Holiday. Then they traded Drew Holiday away for more assets. Now they have Damen Lillard, Drew Holiday, and all these players and assets they’ve been able to build up and deepen this team. That is a great point. This is a team on the come up and now they got Dame Lillard in the fold. Shams, thanks so much with the latest on Dame. Appreciate it. Brian, going to be exciting to see him back out there when he’s healthy. But, uh, let’s take a look back at some of his best moments from his 11 seasons there. 2014, the gamewinning three-pointer at the buzzer as they were down two. They win the series 4-2 to advance to the second round. Here’s Mike Tarico on the call. A three wins the series. It’s Lillard. He got the shot off. Lillard good. Good. And the Blazers win the series for the first time in 14 years. Yeah, you’re going to see more of that. April 23rd, 2019, Western Conference first round Thunder Blazers. Game tied at 115 under 7 seconds to play. Dame dribbling deep three at the buzzer and it’s good. Waving goodbye to the Thunder cuz didn’t just win the game but won the series. Portland advances. And here’s Brian Anderson on the call. Lillard a chance to send the Thunder home. Lillard long range three. Are you kidding me? I mean, that’s a bad shot. Um, care what anybody says, that’s a bad shot. Uh, but hey, he made it. was been a lot of back and forth, a lot of talk and all this stuff. And that was the last word. That was having the last word. It sure was. And from the last word to his last season, February 26, 2023, last season until next season anyways, and season after that, 41 points starting off this game. Eight threes. Ryan, just at the half. Finished this game with a careerhigh, remember this, 71 points. Went 22 for 38. 13 for 22 from three and a perfect 14 for 14 at the free throw line. Trailblazers defeat the Rockets 131 to 114 and he scored 71. And all those great moments and highlights don’t come without racking up some serious stats. Lillard’s the Blazers all-time leading scorer with almost 20,000 points and has the most three-pointers in franchise history, too. And while he won’t likely suit up next season, he’s well within reach of the Blazers records for assists and games played. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

Shams Charania joins SportsCenter to discuss Damian Lillard returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a 3-year/$42 million deal.

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