Damian Lillard will make insane NBA salary not to play next season for Trail Blazers

NBA money is just different.

While NFL players fight for guaranteed money, NBA superstars like Damian Lillard hold a massive amount of power, even late in their career coming off a devastating Achilles injury in last year's playoffs for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Now after a feel-good return home of sorts, where his family and children still live, to the Portland Trail Blazers, where Dame became a superstar as a seven-time All-Star (adding another two appearances with the Bucks), he'll also make bank not to play next season.

How much?

Try $70 million, and $141 million for the next two seasons.

That $70 million would put him only behind reigning MVP and NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's $71.3 million for annual salaries.

Damian Lillard, LeBron James — Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Signing a reported three-year, $42 million deal with Rip City, including a player option in the final year and a rare "true" no-trade clause that only the disgruntled Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James has, the 35-year-old Oakland native will combine that with his $113 million waive-and-stretch provision from Milwaukee for the combined sum.

So he's sitting pretty for the next two seasons, and if the former seven-time, All-NBA clutch performer can find his form once he's fully healthy again, the player option will kick in at the perfect time.

At the perfect Dame Time, if you will.

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

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