By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard is back where he started.
Lillard signed a three-year deal worth $42 million to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced.
ESPN first reported the deal.
Lillard, 35, was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Trail Blazers and spent 11 seasons with Portland before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks just before the 2023-24 season.
However, it might not be Lillard Time in Portland just yet for the player known for pointing at his wrist after sinking key shots.
Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon during a first-round NBA playoff series against the Indiana Pacers and required surgery, meaning he could miss the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks had waived him earlier this month and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years.
Lillard ranked 10th in the league in scoring (24.9) and assists (7.1) this season while earning his ninth All-Star Game selection. But he played only 58 games because of deep vein thrombosis.
Lillard confirmed the deal, posting a video to his Instagram of the Trail Blazers’ locker room, ending with a frame of a locker labeled with his name, followed by the words “Together Again.”
He wrote “RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!”
Lillard averaged 32.2 points his final season in Portland. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game when he finished with 71 against the Houston Rockets that season.
But Portland won only four playoff series during Lillard’s tenure, getting to the Western Conference finals once.
Lillard was beloved in Portland and always insisted there are no hard feelings over his separation with the Blazers. He wanted to try and chase a championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, while Portland was focused on developing young talent, like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
Lillard, who has a signature shoe deal with Adidas, hinted during an event at the company’s North American headquarters in 2024 that some day he might be willing to return to the Trail Blazers.
Lillard holds Portland records for points (19,376) and 3-pointers (2,387). He’s the only Trail Blazers player to score 70 or more points in a game. He had five games of 60 or more points with Portland.
For his career, Lillard averaged 25.1 points and 6.7 assists. He was the 2013 Rookie of the Year and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team in 2021. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
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