Celtics rumors: This Damian Lillard blockbuster would set NBA ablaze

There is a reason why the Boston Celtics fanbase has been ranked near the top of the list of the most stressed fanbases in all of sports.

That is because every time a major NBA star lands on the trading block, the Celtics automatically become a team linked to that star.  The latest star filling the rumor mill with heavy smoke is Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard and Olympic gold medalist Damian Lillard.

In building 5 blockbuster deals in the NBA, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus has Lillard to the Celtics for Al Horford, Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard, two first-rounds and two pick swaps.  The win for the Celtics is the deal would involve no Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart or even Robert Williams.  But, Portland also wins?

Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers both win with Damian Lillard blockbuster

Naturally, one would think the Blazers would require at least Smart of Williams to be included in that deal to even give it consideration, but if Lillard demands a trade and wants to play with his Team USA teammate Jayson Tatum, Portland may look at the deal as a way of looking towards the future in obtaining some nice young players, draft picks and shedding some salary as Pincus explains in his article:

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"“Moving on from Lillard, Portland can focus on building around CJ McCollum.  Horford can be a veteran contributor or a future trade piece for Portland, with a somewhat friendly (albeit expensive) contract with $14.5 million of his $26 million salary guaranteed for 2022-23.”"

If Danny Ainge was still the president of basketball operations, I would say that he would hold back on some of the young players involved, but Brad Stevens has already shown that he is a different animal.  If there is a move to be made, he makes it and Lillard would make the Boston Celtics a dangerous team in the East, finally giving them the type of point guard they have been looking for.

In a way, he is the perfect mix of what the team had in Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker.  He is a playmaker who can score.  Most importantly, he is a game finisher, which makes the big 3 of Tatum, Brown and Lillard a bit more lethal than a big 3 of Tatum, Brown and Bradley Beal because all three players are similar, at least when it comes to Brown and Beal.

It is also a deal like that of Kevin Garnett back in 2007 in which the Celtics would ultimately be given a gift from the Blazers without having to give up Brown.  There are fans who wouldn’t mind Smart involved in the deal, but if they did have to include him, it is still a win for the Celtics.  A risk given Lillard is over 30, but still a win in adding such a clutch scorer.

Great deal for the Boston Celtics, but it could be even better and bigger

In all, it is a deal this fan would be down with and okay with, but I’d rather take that package and try to lure Karl Anthony-Towns out of Minnesota and here’s why:

While a Damian Lillard blockbuster would set the NBA ablaze, acquiring a big man who can stretch the floor is what will make the Boston Celtics a title contender.  We’ve done the scoring point guard thing twice before, three times if you count Isaiah Thomas.  It doesn’t work for the construction of this team.

Not taking anything away from Lillard but adding him as the missing piece of the big 3 only makes the Celtics smaller.  They could match up with the Brooklyn Nets, but what about Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers of the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Townes more than Lillard will help this team take that next level.  He is not only a scorer, but also a rebounder who can protect the rim.  He is young, hungry to win and won’t back down from Embiid or the Greek Freak.  He would also give the Celtics an advantage in the front court when it comes to the Nets.

Brad Stevens would certainly put himself on the map as an NBA executive if he could land Towns without giving up Brown. Heck, he puts himself on the map if this Bleacher Report trade proposal comes to fruition in landing Damian Lillard.

In all, can’t be mad at either deal, but it is more than likely all of this is just stressing out Boston Celtics fans even more.  At some point that stress must be relieved…right?