Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers are nearing agreement on a five-year maximum contract that will likely top $120 million.
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The full value of the contract could wind up ranging between $125 million and $129 million and won’t be determined until the salary cap is established. The contract technically can’t be signed until a league-wide moratorium is lifted on July 9.
Davis, 25, was the 13th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2010, but he has bounced around the league for his first five seasons.
For a couple of hours Wednesday morning it looked nearly certain that Aldridge was headed to San Antonio, especially after the Spurs traded Tiago Splitter to the Hawks to clear up space for a max contract.
Many expected him to return, particularly since he was coming off such a strong season.
Dragic, the 2014 Most Improved and member of the 2014 All-NBA Third team, is the possibly the best point guard the Heat have had long term.
Lillard teamed up with LaMarcus Aldridge to headline a starting five in Portland that just a year ago appeared on the brink of pushing the Blazers back into the Western Conference elite.
Lillard, 24, averaged a career-high 21 points per game last season.
The person says Wade informed the Heat he will accept a one-year offer to re-sign for $20 million for next season.
The NBA’s free agency period kicked off at midnight Wednesday, and the richest deal so far actually went a player who technically wasn’t supposed to hit the open market until next summer.
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CBS Sports is reporting that while Aldridge has ruled out the New York Knicks, the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat are still in the running. The Blazers have inked Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu to free agent contracts. He averaged 8.3 points and 7.6 rebounds in his first season with the Lakers past year.
