PORTLAND — Though all the talk this week is about LaMarcus Aldridge leaving, the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday made sure Damian Lillard will stay long-term.
The Blazers signed Lillard to sign a 5-year extension reportedly worth $129 million. On Thursday afternoon, Lillard tweeted confirmation that he’s going to be in a Blazers uniform for a while.
“Thank you so much to Paul Allen and the Trail Blazers organization,” Lillard wrote. “I’ll be in Rip City 6 more years! Oakland to Ogden to Oregon — TO STAY.”
With Aldridge, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews all free agents and Nic Batum having been traded to Charlotte, Lillard could be the only returning starter from last season.
Also Thursday, the Blazers acquired another player to bolster their frontcourt. Los Angeles Lakers forward-center Ed Davis reportedly agreed to a 3-year deal worth $20 million deal with Portland.
Davis is a 6-foot-10 forward/center out of North Carolina has been in the league for five years, playing last season with the Lakers after leaving the Memphis Grizzlies.
Davis could be an attractive pick-and-roll target for Lillard. He was in the 74th percentile in the league in points per possession as a roll-man in pick and roll, according to Synergy Sports on NBA.com/stats.
A look at the depth chart shows that the Blazers are stocked with big men. That’s without counting LaMarcus Aldridge or fellow free agent Lopez, who reportedly will meet with the New York Knicks this week.
Ed Davis is now the fourth player that is currently on the Blazers that could potentially play power forward. Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh and Al-Farouq Aminu all can play that position. The Blazers also added Mason Plumlee via a draft day trade last week and they also fully guaranteed Chris Kaman’s contract for next season.
Kings make pitch to Matthews
According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, Matthews has been offered a 3-year $45 million deal from the Kings.
However, Stein reports that Matthews’ preferred destination are the Dallas Mavericks. Matthews reportedly met with the Mavericks on the first night of free-agency but there was a reported gap between the parties.
