[Shams] Lillard returns to the Blazers for 42M/3 Years

Fair point for Boston, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong but Golden State who was attached to him in the previous article had a 14 million Non Taxpayer MLE. That's about what he's getting annually from Portland.

"According to The Athletic, among the linked parties were the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and the Los Angeles Lakers, all of whom wanted to sign Lillard to a deal quickly."

https://www.si.com/nba/trailblazers...eltics and Lakers,in a limited physical state


"They still have the $14.1 million non-taxpayers mid-level exception, per Spotrac."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nb...out-251-million-all-star-imminent/ar-AA1I6XN7

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2025/07/how-teams-are-using-2025-26-mid-level-exceptions.html#:~:text=Denver Nuggets,Used: $5,500,000 (Guerschon Yabusele)


Other teams had a tax payer MLE and some which weren't contenders, or mid teams or bottom feeders had money to spend as well from what I'm seeing. So it was both and a choice imo.

 

Crazy amount of money for a dude that will most likely one back next season and be terrible due to age and injury and will end up retiring.

 

Lol