• Jayson Tatum failed to convince Damian Lillard to join the Boston Celtics
• Celtics analyst John Karalis believes Brad Stevens is secretly happy the recruiting pitch failed
• The Celtics made a big summer move by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis
After it became clear that Damian Lillard was looking for a way out of the Blazers this summer, Jayson Tatum reportedly contacted Lillard to try and convince him to join the Celtics. The pitch failed and Boston Sports Journal writer John Karalis believes Brad Stevens is happy about the same.
“I bet Brad Stevens is secretly happy that Jayson Tatum’s recruitment of Damian Lillard didn’t work. How the hell was he going to match a $45 million salary with anything better than Miami without including Jaylen Brown? I can see Brad pulling Tatum into his office and politely asking to be made aware of any future recruitment plans that might put him on the spot.”
The issue has become moot anyway. Lillard has made his desire to join Boston’s biggest rivals in the East, the Miami Heat, abundantly clear. Instead of playing alongside Tatum and competing for championships, it seems Lillard would much rather play against Tatum and win championships at his expense.
Did The Celtics Dodge A Bullet?
There was no way for the Celtics to acquire Lillard without having Jaylen Brown on offer. If Lillard was open to the idea, Boston likely trade Brown to the Blazers before giving him the richest contract in NBA history.
The Celtics would also not make the Kristaps Porzingis move, needing a backcourt partner for Lillard like the defense-oriented Marcus Smart.
The Porzingis trade is already a big risk given the Latvian’s concerning injury history, so the Celtics were going to make a swing trade that made them uncomfortable regardless. Keeping the Tatum and Brown duo in the middle of their prime together may be a better team-building decision than breaking it up for maybe two more seasons with Lillard in his prime.
Will Damian Lillard Find A New Team Before Training Camp?
Lillard has dug his feet in for the last two months and has been adamant about being traded to the Miami Heat. It’s clear that the Blazers are unwilling to send him there, so it’s just a question of who blinks first.
There could be other options if Lillard was willing to listen but the 33-year-old point guard is using this trade request like free agency. Unfortunately, he’s under a long-term contract with the Blazers that gives Portland full control of his future destination. But with Lillard possibly not reporting to play elsewhere, no other team will give the Blazers a good offer.
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists last season and made the All-NBA Second Team. He’s still one of the best point guards in the league, but it’s unlikely that the Blazers trade him for an equal-value package.
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