$70 million over 1 year! Officially signed on! The most expensive NBA assistant coach comments on Yang Hansheng.

In the 2025-26 season, Lillard's combined salary from the Bucks and the Trail Blazers will reach approximately $70 million ($54.13 million from the Bucks + $14.10 million from the Trail Blazers) and, as previously reported, he will be fully sidelined this season to concentrate on his recovery from an Achilles injury, with a return expected in the 2026-27 season.

However, Trail Blazers head coach Billups will not allow Lillard to just collect his $70 million salary, stating thatthe latter will become the highest-paid assistant coach in NBA history this season and will have work assigned to him every day.

The Trail Blazers' "new assistant coach,"Lillard commented on the team's rookie (16th overall pick) Yang Hansheng, praising his performance in the Summer League, which proved he is a truly good player, with a playing style well-suited to today's league, and he is confident and has flair.

It was joked by Blazers beat writer Holdahl that when Lillard returned, he decided to come back to the Blazers after watching Yang Hansheng's three Summer League games.

Notably, all 15 official contracts for the Trail Blazers have been finalized, and the specific list is as follows:

Point guards Holiday, Henderson, Lillard;

Shooting guards Sharpe, Thybulle, Wesley;

Small forwards Kamara, Luipel, Chris Murray;

Power forwards Avdija, Grant;

Centers Klingen, Roby, Yang Hansheng, Li Si.

By the way, Yang Hansheng is returning to China after more than two months and will appear with the Qingdao Men's Basketball first team for a media event.

After enjoying time with his mother team, Yang Hansheng will report to the national team and may appear in one of the four warm-up games for the Chinese men's basketball team.

July 24 & 25, vs. Venezuela; July 27 & 29, vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After these four warm-up games, the Chinese men's basketball team will announce the roster for the Asian Cup, and regardless of whether he plays in the warm-up games, Yang Hansheng will be included in the roster as a guaranteed player.

Blazers beat writer Holdahl expressed support for Yang Hansheng's participation in the Asian Cup, feeling it provides another opportunity to continue observing him.

If all goes well, Yang Hansheng will continue to play the role of second center for the Chinese men's basketball team, serving as a backup for Hu Jinqiu, while Zhou Qi, who just went to the U.S. for treatment a few days ago, is unlikely to make it to the Asian Cup.

Zhou Qi withdrew from the Chinese men's basketball training camp in early July, but unfortunately, due to visa issues, he could only go to the U.S. now...

What more can be said? Yang Hansheng, lead the Chinese men's basketball team to win that elusive Asian Cup championship!