The Boston Celtics have gone through a tough offseason thus far. After seeing Jayson Tatum go down with a torn Achilles in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, Brad Stevens has been forced to make difficult decisions.
When the Celtics sold to new ownership, it was apparent that the current core would be changed. It's an unfortunate reality and Boston was facing major penalties due to the second apron of the luxury tax.
In order to get below the second apron, Stevens opted to trade Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
So far, there have been key departures and no major additions. That could change in the near future.
Following the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to release Damian Lillard following their move to sign Myles Turner, the Celtics have emerged as a possible suitor for the star veteran point guard.
According to a report from The Athletic, Boston is among the group of teams who would like to sign Lillard sooner rather than later. Both the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers were also included on the list.
"Not surprisingly, league sources say Lillard received calls from several contending teams quickly after the news of his Bucks' ending broke," The Athletic shared. "League sources say the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are known to be among the many teams that would have interest in doing a deal sooner rather than later."
Lillard landing with the Celtics would be a perfect fit. After trading Holiday, Boston could use a point guard. Lillard would not be rushed back and would be on target to return to the court at the latest alongside Tatum.
Of course, Lillard is recovering from an Achilles tear that he suffered in the first round of the playoffs. However, there has been some hope that he could return at some point during the 2025-26 season.
During the 2024-25 campaign with the Bucks, Lillard played well in 58 games before being sidelined due to blood clot issues. He worked his way back from that quickly to play in the playoffs before the Achilles injury.
In the 58 games he did play, Lillard averaged 24.9 points per game to go along with 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He also shot 44.8 perent from the floor and connected on 37.6 percent of his three-point attempts.
There is no telling what Lillard will choose to do, but the Celtics are a team to keep a close eye on as a potential free agency destination for him.
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