Damian Lillard’s two-year extension is more than the lifetime salary of veteran Chauncey Billups as an NBA player.
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Well, there is a reason why old-school players like Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal take pride but with a pinch of saltiness in having built a foundation from which the current pool of players are reaping benefits. One of the wealthiest leagues in the world, the NBA franchises leave no stone unturned to indulge their players.
Such wasn’t the case before the millennials, with players even resorting to odd jobs during the off-season to pay their bills. The players today are surrounded by the best financial minds guiding them on investing wisely, something unheard of in the previous eras.
With Blazers superstar Damian Lillard signing a two-year $122M extension off-late, Stat Muse highlighted an interesting fact regarding the exorbitant salaries players today get paid. The 31-year-old’s two-year extension accounts for more than head coach Chauncey Billups’ combined seventeen-seasons earnings as a player.
Speaking of Billups, he’s no small name, having a Finals MVP and a championship to his credit. The five-time All-Star even has his Pistons jersey hanging on the rafters. The veteran guard led the Pistons in the 2004 Finals defeating the iconic Lakers duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Dame Time making a bank only shows the evolution of the National Basketball Association as a league, with the previous generations laying the brick.
Damian Lillard will reportedly make $258M+ over the next 5-seasons.
Amid months of speculations of Lillard and the Blazers parting ways, the six-time All-Star has proved his loyalty, once again, committing to the franchise for the next 5-years. Fans in Portland have all the reason to rejoice, considering what the superstar has meant for their franchise.
Having traded several of its players, including the likes of CJ McCollum, the Blazers front office aims to rebuild around Dame Time under the guidance of Coach Billups. In what it seems, Lillard knows the impact he could create with one championship in Portland over multiple chips by joining a super team.
