Photo: Peter Baba

Damian Lillard’s return to the Portland Trail Blazers came with an unusual feature in his new three-year contract – a rare no-trade clause. According to Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, several factors may explain why the team agreed to such a provision.

Lillard has been open about the personal motivations behind his homecoming, emphasizing his desire to finish his career in the Pacific Northwest so he can remain close to his children.

The no-trade clause ensures that he won’t be forced to relocate again unless it’s on his own terms, providing a level of stability that’s especially important in the final years of a career.

Highkin speculates that general manager Joe Cronin might have also viewed the clause as a way to repair the trust that was fractured in 2023, when Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee despite his preference to join the Miami Heat.

Additionally, the clause could have been part of a give-and-take during contract negotiations, balancing out the fact that Lillard agreed to less money than he could have earned.

Under the deal, the player will make $14.1 million this season on a mid-level exception contract, drop to $13.4 million in the second year, and return to $14.1 million in 2027/28.

Had he taken the maximum allowable 5% annual raises, he could have earned roughly $2.8 million more over the life of the contract.

When asked in the same mailbag about Lillard’s ability to regain elite scoring form after his injury, Highkin acknowledged that skepticism is understandable.

He pointed to Kobe Bryant – also 35 when he tore his Achilles – as a historical comparison, but stressed that advancements in sports medicine over the last decade, along with Lillard’s plan to spend a full 18 months recovering, give him a better shot at a successful return.

Trail Blazers Notes: Lillard, Williams, Centers, Sale Process https://t.co/ycuBHVL7iu pic.twitter.com/LfzjAZFDSE