Damian Lillard is set to become a free agent later this week after he was waived and stretched by the Bucks in a stunning move that helped Milwaukee open up cap space for the present. Lillard is expected to miss most or all of next season while recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in April. However, his injury isn’t stopping suitors from showing interest in the former All-Star. The Celtics are among several contenders that have expressed interest in the point guard according to the Athletic.
What can the Celtics offer Lillard when he hits the open market? Let’s examine Boston’s situation and how it compares to other known interested teams around the league.
WHAT MONEY CAN CELTICS OFFER LILLARD?
The Celtics are currently slightly above the second apron with their projected payroll, but more tweaks to the roster are being explored per sources. Those inevitable tweaks will ultimately reduce Boston’s payroll and salaries in a season where spending big into the tax doesn’t make sense when Tatum is sidelined.
While Boston remains above the second apron, they can only offer the veteran’s minimum exception. However, as long as the Celtics get and stay under the second apron (via other moves), the door would open technically to Boston using the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7 million). Whether Boston would want to offer that money to Lillard is an open question, since giving him that deal would make getting under the luxury tax line this season that much more challenging (Boston is already $20 million over the tax line with the current roster).
Lillard’s other known suitors (Warriors, Lakers) also have access to the taxpayer mid-level exception or potentially full mid-level exception ($14 million) with some secondary moves. The Celtics would not be able to compete with a full mid-level exception offer, but they could compete with others with a taxpayer mid-level offer if that’s what the Lakers and Warriors top out at.
The subplot to all these hypotheticals is how much the money matters to Lillard. He’s already going to get his full max salary from the Bucks paid out, so any more money added to this with his next contract is gravy. Will he simply go to the highest bidder for his services? Or, at this stage of his career, will he take less or even the veteran’s minimum with a team in order to find the better fit and help said team put together a better roster? The guess here is the latter for the 34-year-old.
Obviously, the term on any deal would matter here as well with Lillard. Boston couldn’t offer more than two years for the veteran’s minimum or a taxpayer mid-level. A team offering a non-taxpayer mid-level could go as high as four years but that feels unlikely given Lillard’s age.
WHAT CAN CELTICS OFFER LILLARD ON THE COURT?
With Boston down Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and potentially Al Horford, the chance to bring aboard any talented players on the cheap is a welcome development for the Celtics. The fit for Lillard in Boston’s backcourt is fascinating to consider in theory upon his return. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are in place but there’s no real depth behind them currently beyond Anfernee Simons, who has been linked heavily to trade rumors. Simons may not suit up a game for the Celtics but he’s an expiring contract regardless, and it’s hard to foresee him being a long-term part of Boston’s plans barring more significant changes.
For that reason, the Celtics can sell Lillard on competing right now upon his return without too heavy of a burden alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Whether Lillard has interest in playing in Boston is another question altogether (he didn’t back in 2023 per multiple reports) but the opportunity could be there for him, perhaps to a greater degree if Boston makes another major move in the next year involving Jaylen Brown or Derrick White.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Given the tough situation the Celtics are in financially, it’s a no brainer for them to explore adding a guy like Lillard on the cheap even coming off his injury. He may not be the player he once was, but it’s a low-risk move which is why almost every contender is probably inquiring on him. Whether Boston stands out from that pack remains to be seen, but they can at least make an intriguing case if Lillard is open to playing on the East Coast.
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