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There was speculation this offseason that the six-time All-Star
could be on the move, especially after Portland was eliminated
from the NBA playoffs in the opening round for the second time
in two seasons.
"Back for more ...," Lillard said on Instagram. "#RipCity is my
city."
The photo connected to the post is of Lillard weaving his way
through a sea of cameras and Trail Blazers fans on the way to
the back of the arena.
Early speculation that the 31-year-old could be on the way out
centered on a report that he was disappointed in the hiring of
Chauncey Billups as head coach.
Lillard never said himself that he was interested in leaving and
said on social media two weeks ago that he was not planning on
leaving. Wednesday's Instagram post confirms that intention.
The sixth overall selection in the 2012 NBA draft out of Weber
State averaged 28.8 points over 67 games last season with 7.5
assists and 4.2 rebounds. He has averaged 24.7 points with 6.6
assists and 4.2 rebounds over his nine seasons, all in Portland.
In 2019, Lillard agreed to a four-year supermax contract
extension that will begin with the upcoming season. He is set to
be paid $39.3 million by the Trail Blazers this season and $48.8
million in the final year of the deal in 2024-25, per Spotrac.
--Field Level Media
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