As the Portland Trail Blazers possibly prepare for life after LaMarcus Aldridge, it appears they won’t be taking their foot off the gas.
They have already agreed to terms with free agent Al Farouq-Aminu and now the new face of the franchise, Damian Lillard, will be getting locked in for a long time with a lot of money.
Following from ESPN’s Marc Stein.
The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard are nearing agreement on a maximum five-year contract extension that is expected to top $120 million in value, according to league sources.
Sources said the Blazers and the All-Star point guard soon will finalize a five-year extension that will kick in starting with the 2016-17 season.
First-round picks from the 2012 NBA draft such as Lillard are eligible to negotiate contract extensions now through Oct. 31. But like any free-agent deal throughout the league, they can’t be formally signed until July 9, when a leaguewide moratorium on player business is lifted.
As expected, LaMarcus Aldridge will be leaving the Portland Trail Blazers this summer. The two deals by the team all but formally announce that is what will be happening and it might actually be better for them. It’s a new face to build the team around and Lillard can be working with a new group of guys like Aminu and the newly acquired Mason Plumlee.
