Boston Celtics: Hot, juicy Damian Lillard rumors to hype up offseason
Are the Boston Celtics in line to land All-Star point guard Damian Lillard?
Now that the Celtics front office shakeup is behind us, it’s time to look forward to seeing what Brad Stevens does to shake up the roster, because there is going to be a shakeup right?
There has to be and Lillard will be a prime name linked to the C’s throughout the summer if the Portland Trail Blazers decide to trade the basketball court assassin.
A six-time All-Star, it appears Lillard’s time in the City of Roses is over. Will Boston be the city he moves onto?
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First, it will depend on the packages Portland receives from other teams in pursuit of the fascinating scorer. Secondly, it really will come down to who and what Stevens would offer in a trade scenario. The team would obviously like to add Dame to the mix alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but it could take Brown to land him.
Boston Celtics have the chips to land Damian Lillard
According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, a centerpiece involving Brown would be very tempting for the Blazers who are now approaching the backend of Lillard’s contract, which would earn him close to $50 million-per-season.
Here is what Mannix had to say in an appearance on WEEI’s “Tanguay and Hart” show that really adds some fuel to the fire.
"“Boston, as they always are, are in a good position because of the young talent. Because you could put Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of a deal that would include all the young guys on your roster plus future draft picks, as well,” Mannix said as transcribed by WEEI. “So, I think it’s possible. If Portland shops him, Boston is going to be in a good position. If you look around, Bradley Beal is not going to go to Portland because he’s not going to re-sign there. You have to get guys to Portland that are on long-term contracts and Jaylen Brown is one of those young guys, 24 years old, that would fit the bill.”"
Obviously, the first shoe to drop will be naming a head coach. Depending on who that person is, who stays and who goes from the 2020-21 roster will take center stage. Ideally, Celtics fans wouldn’t want that person to be Brown, but to win the sweepstakes, that would be the team’s best package.
With the team rumored to be dinging Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart in potential trades, there could be the possibility of a new big 3 in Boston, one that is centered around Jayson Tatum.
If Stevens is able to pull off a couple of blockbuster deals this offseason, it would certainly put him on the map as a front-office executive. Or, he could continue the trend of his predecessor Danny Ainge and not pull the trigger, something Boston Celtics fans have grown accustomed to over the last few off-season’s.
As sad as it would be to ship off Jaylen Brown, the potential of a big three of Tatum, Lillard and Bradley Beal would quickly heal that dagger to the heart.
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Do the Celtics have the assets to pull off deals for Lillard and Beal?
Both the Blazers and Washington Wizards will be in position where they will be looking to get something in return before losing those players. The Celtics appear to be in prime position and this offseason will certainly test Brad Stevens as the new president of basketball operations.