The Boston Celtics have been very active this summer as they accommodate the injury to Jayson Tatum. As they prepare for what will likely be a down year, they’ve been mostly selling some of their older, more established players. According to NBA insider Scott Berges, however, they are in the advanced stages of working out a deal to bring in 9x All-Star guard, Damian Lillard.
“I’m told Jayson Tatum has been in contact with Damian Lillard ‘every single day’ since the guard got released from the Bucks,” wrote Berges. “Damian Lillard is meeting with the Celtics on July 7th. That’s what I’ve been told. Lucky to have such a behind-the-scenes connection. The meeting is private. Nobody outside of the Celtics Org. is supposed to know!”
Since Lillard’s buyout from the Bucks, he’s been pursued by several NBA franchises hoping to land the sharpshooter for a bargain. He has yet to make up his mind on where he’ll play next, but the Celtics are reportedly on his short list of preferred destinations, and they’ve already been in contact with each other this season.
“Damian Lillard has been in ‘constant contact’ with both Jayson Tatum and Brad Stevens,” Berges continued. “All signs point to him signing in Boston, I’m told by my contact.”
Lillard, 34, has accomplished a lot over 13 years in the NBA. As a 9x All-Star, 7x All-NBA player, and the Trail Blazers‘ all-time leading scorer, he’s earned his title as one of the best point guards in the modern NBA. Still, he has yet to win a championship in the NBA and has only ever gone as far as the Western Conference Finals.
Now that he’s a free agent for the first time, Lillard has total control over his next destination, and he wants to ensure it’s someplace he can win. Even after trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday this summer, the Celtics are still in a good position to compete thanks to the presence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Together, they will keep the Celtics relevant in the East for years to come, and Lillard could be an addition that enhances their potential. With career averages of 24.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 43.9% shooting, he’s a beast on offense who excels as a shooter and playmaker from the outside.
After tearing his Achilles for the Bucks in April, it’s likely that Lillard will never be the same again, but he has enough experience, work ethic, and natural talent to still be effective on the court when he eventually returns.
If his goal is to win, there may be no better team to join than the Celtics, who have a pair of stars in Tatum and Brown who have already gone all the way. With head coach Joe Mazzulla and a culture of winning, they have the recipe for a potential title run, and it would do wonders for Lillard’s legacy if he was along for the ride. The good news is, they are leading the race so far with the meeting on Monday (July 7) set to decide his fate once and for all.
