After general manager Joe Cronin revamped the roster, portland trailblazers Sitting under the luxury tax and having the cleanest payroll in years. Still, bad contracts exist on every NBA roster, and every GM has his share of hits and misses.
in recent works, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey, dived into the subject by listing the highest and lowest contracts of all NBA teams. For Portland, Bailey identified two moves the Blazers made this summer, giving a rose to the signing of defensive specialist Gary Payton II and showing concern over Damian Lillard’s contract extension.
Portland poached Peyton II golden state warriors By surpassing the reigning champion. Payton II, who signed a three-year, $26.1 million contract (with a player option for a final season), is the biggest addition Portland has made this summer outside of new power forward Jerami Grant. Bailey sees the 29-year-old journeyman transition seamlessly from playing with Stephen Curry to Lillard.
Gary Payton II is one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball and he added a right turn.average 3-point shooter for 2021-22.
He’s also an elite cutter with a knack for knowing when to fly to the rim or chase a driver.
GPII, playing and supporting Damian Lillard the same way Stephen Curry did last season, should be worth his sub-$10 million annual salary.
Speaking of Lillard, Bailey didn’t get too excited about the two-year, $225 million contract extension the franchise star signed this summer. and $63.2 million in player options for the 2026-2027 season. In the summer of 2026, Lillard will turn 36.
This offseason has been a heated debate: Is it wise to invest so much money in an aging score-driven point guard? threw a large amount of caution tape on the road collapsing with this move.
That Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers have committed to each other for so long is admirable in an era defined largely by player movement.
And in the short term, his hefty salary is probably worth it. But paying him $63.2 million for a 36-year-old season will almost certainly be a burden (even if cap spikes like 2016 happen again).
Do you agree with Bailey? Make a sound in the comments below.
