NBA News 2014: Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard Opting Out of Contract With Adidas; $100M Deal With Nike Possible

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is opting out of his contract with German footwear company Adidas, a move that would make him a free agent at the end of the NBA basketball season.

Lillard, who has become a household name after just two years into his professional basketball career, is reportedly planning to opt out of his rookie deal with Adidas, in an attempt to get more lucrative deals from the same brand or sign with another sneaker brand such as rivals like Nike, Jordan, Under Armor or Reebok.

"Lillard will be able to opt out of his shoe contract at the end of the basketball season and either renegotiate a more lucrative deal with adidas, or open negotiations with Nike, Brand Jordan, Reebok or Under Armor," wrote Chris Haynes for CSN Northwest.

According to reports, Lillard pocketed a nice amount of money after reaching incentives in his current deal with the shoe brand. However, with the rise of his popularity, Lillard and his representatives clearly want a better figure for him to stay as one of the faces of the Adidas brand.

"Haynes reports Lillard reached incentives-including winning the Rookie of the Year award and earning an All-Star nod-in his original contract that allow him to escape from his original agreement. Now that he's practically a household name, expect him to rake in the big bucks," Bleacher Report added.

Bleacher Report pundit Grant Hughes believes Lillard might be on his way to getting a $100 million deal either with Adidas or another brand. Hughes speculated Adidas could gamble and sign Lillard to a deal as big as Derrick Rose's contract, making him a potential face of the brand (especially with D-Rose still recovering from another knee injury).

"With D-Rose down and out, it's possible Lillard's current shoe company could put on a full-court press to keep him in the fold as the face of the brand," Hughes stated.

Then again, there's also the possibility that Adidas might let Lillard walk away, as the ghost of the D-Rose setback continues to haunt the brand. Nike's co-founder Phil Knight could sign him to another $100-million shoe deal, putting him alongside LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant as one of the brand's superstar endorsers.

Whatever company snatches up Lillard, one thing is certain—he's bound for a rich shoe deal this summer.