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Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Biofreeze. It was announced today that Biofreeze has also purchased patches on Trail Blazers jerseys. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the Lillard news.
Sources: Portland star Damian Lillard has signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Biofreeze -- which also has become the logo patch of the Trail Blazers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 19, 2018
Casey Holdahl of the Trail Blazers had an immediate response.
You know what helps keep players in small markets? https://t.co/05qdktKzKn
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) September 19, 2018
Holdahl’s quip likely referenced an article by Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype published earlier today, explaining how endorsement dollars influenced financial decisions for NBA players. The article suggested that money flows towards major stars in high-profile markets, giving incentive for players to congregate there. The Biofreeze dollars are presumed incentive for Lillard to remain in Portland.
Terms of the deal between Lillard and Biofreeze were not disclosed, but the All-Star point guard is scheduled to make $28 million this season from the Trail Blazers, $29.8 million next year, and $31.6 million in the final year of his current contract, 2020-21.