Give up the championship! Lillard returns to Portland for 42 million in 3 years, the best solution for a middle-aged veteran

The NBA transfer market has been very good recently. After Bill joined the Clippers, the news that Lillard returned to Portland once again sparked public opinion, and Yang Hansen finally welcomed his first super teammate.

After the Bucks announced the termination of Lillard, the media gave the news that Lillard himself was very excited because he could choose his next home in advance. There were many popular next homes at that time, such as the Warriors and the Celtics. The views from the outside world all started from the perspective of basketball, believing that Lillard would choose a popular team to win the championship and realize his dream of winning the championship in his twilight years of his career.

But in the end, Lillard's choice was somewhat unexpected. He chose to return to the place where the dream began, that is, the rose garden he had struggled for 11 years, and put on the familiar red and black battle robe. This choice seems unexpected, but in fact it is the rational choice of the 35-year-old veteran after weighing the pros and cons. He will probably end his career here and put a perfect end to his basketball story. Although this choice is somewhat unexpected, it is actually reasonable. The choice of professional sports never stops at the arena. Just as career choices need to be comprehensively considered, there are multiple realistic logics behind Lillard's decision.

First of all, of course, is the treatment. The essential purpose of professional players playing basketball is the same as when we go to work, making money to support our family. The 3-year, 42 million contract given by the Trail Blazers not only includes the player options and trade veto rights for the last year, but also shows full sincerity against the background of Lillard experiencing a rupture in the Achilles tendon, requiring a full season to be on hold and it is difficult to return to the peak. You should know that this contract gave him a guaranteed income of US$70 million in the 2025-26 season, and his total salary could reach US$141 million by 2027. Such treatment is almost difficult for a veteran who is troubled by injuries to other championship teams. More importantly, Oregon, where Portland is located, is one of only five tax-free states in the United States, which makes actual income more attractive.

The second is life. After getting married and having children, the family becomes a mature man who has to consider an issue when making important choices. Lillard has been to Milwaukee for the past two years, but his family still lives in Portland and has been together for the past two years.

Now, he needs to face a season of rest. If he can recover from his injuries at home, having his family by his side will undoubtedly be more conducive to recovery. Therefore, he chose to return to Portland, and probably a considerable part of the factors that are due to family considerations. Although Portland's market is not big and lacks appeal to superstars, this city is a well-known livable city.

The third is the word of mouth. Objectively speaking, it was far-fetched to be selected as the 76 superstar based solely on Lillard's career achievements, but being selected at that time was largely due to his loyalty drama of one person and one city. The outside world appreciated Lillard, and in addition to his watch-wearing moments, a considerable part of him also appreciated his persistence.

In the past two years, the Trail Blazers have supported him to go out to pursue the championship, but as we all know, the championship is indispensable for the right time, place and people, and is hard to come by. Even if he goes to the championship, he may not be able to realize his dreams. He may even lose his integrity in his later years, which completely collapses, and there are many superstars who have become duckweed at the end of his career. What's more, Lillard won the NBA Cup championship with the Bucks, and his trip to Milwaukee is worth it.

And back to the Trail Blazers, he at least stabilized his character, at least in this city and this team, he is unique. It may be controversial to who is the number one star in the team history, but it is undeniable that the team's best record this century (Western Finals) was led by him, and the team's traffic was basically contributed by him. As the most influential star of the Trail Blazers this century, this choice allowed him to complete the last chapter of his career decently on the familiar soil.

From a basketball perspective, Lillard's choice may mean giving up his dream of winning the championship; but from a life perspective, this is the optimal solution for a mature man. For him, there is the warmth of his family, the tolerance of the city, and the respect of the team; for the Trail Blazers, his return can bring back traffic and experience. This story that began in the Rose Garden will eventually write a warm final chapter here.