Dame Dolla's return from Milwaukee may make the Blazers some serious bucks.
Star Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard -- set to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 NBA season as he rehabilitates from a torn left Achilles tendon -- has returned home to Portland, bringing with him a level of star power few teams are lucky enough to possess. What's better? He's coming back at a massive discount.
Waived by the Milwaukee Bucks following the Achilles tear, Lillard agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal to return to the Trail Blazers, the team with which he has spent the lion's share of his illustrious NBA career. His signing sent shockwaves through Portland and the NBA alike.
Bringing Dame home was a no-brainer for Rip City
Most fans and national pundits expressed sentimental approval of Dame's return to Oregon, though a faction of Rip City remains skeptical of Lillard's commitment to a team he has already left once.
Despite several players voicing excitement to reunite with Dame, a few fans can't yet embrace a reunion with the icon who asked (kindly demanded?) to leave town in pursuit of greener pastures, then found them not-so-green.
And yet, speaking of green, two people who won't be over-analyzing the reunion? Lillard himself, set to make over $70 million next season (though Portland will only be paying for $14 million of it), and Tom Dundon -- the man who just bought the Trail Blazers for a reported $4.25 billion.
Stars make big money, and not just for themselves
The NBA is not always a meritocracy when it comes to player contracts. Guys who bring a certain cache have historically leveraged more value out of contracts, usually through an agent pointing out how their client's presence will directly increase ticket prices, sales, and merchandise. That ideally aligns with where the player wants to be, but it doesn't always go that way. In Lillard's case, we know Portland is where he wants to be.
And we know that he brings with him that cache.
Whatever your stance on Dame's return is, if you love the team, you can't hate the signing. The Trail Blazers will enjoy the ticket and merchandising revenue from Dame's return while only paying him $14 million each of the next three seasons. All the benefits at a fraction of the cost.
It's rare for a player to take less than the absolute most he can earn in free agency. Jalen Brunson's contract extension with the New York Knicks last season is the only instance in recent memory where a star has taken less than his agreed-upon market value (and he still earned a boatload). Dame is taking a hometown discount to return to Portland, and it could end up being the Trail Blazers' saving grace -- both on and off the court.
Lillard's return could be the Trail Blazers saving grace, literally
Coming off an injury that could see Lillard return as marginally less than his former self, he signed with the Trail Blazers at a number that reflects that risk. However, if he is anything like the player he was in Portland the first time around, his affordable contract will give Portland an unparalleled edge on the court. Having a star under contract at such a discounted rate will allow Portland the salary cap flexibility to extend and retain more of their young players as they move off their rookie deals. This could be the key to building a contender.
Off the court, Dame's return will excite the city. It'll sell tickets and merch and make the franchise millions, if not more. From the most dire of perspectives, Dame's presence could be the difference when it comes to keeping the Trail Blazers in Portland. From a more optimistic viewpoint, the best to ever do it in red, black, and white just came home.
And he did it at a discount.