DAMIAN Lillard is set to earn around $70 million next season without playing in a single NBA game.
The legendary point guard, 35, suffered a devastating Achilles injury during round one of the playoffs back in April.
Damian Lillard suffered a devastating injury during round one of the playoffs[/caption]
Lillard, 35, has agreed a three-year deal to return to Portland[/caption]
Lillard had returned from a blood clot issue in game two of the Milwaukee Bucks‘ series against the Indiana Pacers, only to go down with a torn Achilles in game four.
The injury is virtually certain to sideline Lillard for the entirety of the 2025-26 season.
Earlier this month, the Bucks stunningly made the unprecedented decision to waive Lillard, stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract.
General manager Jon Horst did so in order to clear enough space to sign Pacers center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal.
Lillard, meanwhile, has since agreed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The deal sees the nine-time All-Star complete an emotional return to his former team.
Lillard will possess a player option for the 2027-28 season.
While the contract also includes a no-trade clause.
Other than Lillard, the only other player to possess such a clause in their contract is Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Bradley Beal infamously had one in his contract, prior to being waived by the Phoenix Suns.
Lillard’s new contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, coupled with money owed by the Bucks, will see him earn an astonishing $70m next season.
The next highest-paid player during the 2025-26 season will be Steph Curry, who will pocket just shy of $60 million from the Golden State Warriors.
Former MVPs Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are pencilled in to earn around $55 million each next season.
While Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum, who is also currently sidelined with an Achilles injury, has a $71,446,914 player option for the 2029-30 season.
New rights deal
The NBA signed an 11-year deal with three networks for the league’s rights from the 2025-26 season.
And there will be no games on TNT for the first time since the network launched in 1988.
The Walt Disney Company will continue to show the league with 80 regular-season games across ESPN and ABC.
They will also show around 18 playoff games from the first and second round, a Conference Finals series for 10 of the 11 years, and remain the home of the NBA Finals.
NBC will return as an NBA broadcaster for the first time since 2002.
The network will show up to 100 games per season across it’s channels and Peacock streaming service.
It will also be the home of NBA All-Star and show approximately 28 playoff games from the first and second round.
NBC will show one Conference Finals Series for six of the 11 years, rotating with new broadcaster Amazon Prime.
Amazon will show 66 NBA regular-season games including one on Black Friday.
The streaming service is also the home of the latter stages of the NBA Cup and the entire Play-In Tournament.
Prime will also broadcast around one third of the playoff games in the first and second round.
And Devin Booker earlier this month agreed a two-year extension with the Phoenix Suns worth $145 million.
The deal will see Booker remain in Phoenix until the end of the 2029-30 season.
Lillard, meanwhile, is believed to be targeting a return to play in time for the 2026-27 campaign.
By this time, the Portland icon will have turned 36-years-old.
Lillard joins a Trail Blazers squad with a young core featuring the likes of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Yang Hansen and Donovan Clingan.
Portland has also signed experienced guard Jrue Holiday during the off season.
