While we’re dissecting Jonathan Kuminga’s contract negotiations and analyzing whether the Warriors should pursue aging superstars, Damian Lillard just signed a deal to return to Portland in what Blazers coach Chauncey Billups perfectly described as “the highest-paid assistant coach in history.” Oakland’s finest is coming home to the team that drafted him, but not the way anyone envisioned when he left Rip City two years ago.
This isn’t just another free agency signing. This is a masterclass in how championship windows operate in the modern NBA, and why what we’ve built in the Bay Area deserves deeper appreciation than folks may realize.