Prior to being dealt to the Bucks, Jayson Tatum made every effort to persuade Damian Lillard to join the Celtics.
The seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard was abruptly dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, bringing an end to the controversy. Despite the Boston Celtics’ inability to realistically acquire Lillard, star Jayson Tatum made every effort to bring “Dame Time” to Beantown.
The debate was put to rest when the seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard was unceremoniously traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Boston Celtics standout Jayson Tatum worked extremely hard to bring “Dame Time” to Beantown despite their inability to truly get Lillard.
Even if Tatum’s attempt ultimately failed, Boston didn’t lose this offseason. In fact, the Celtics acquired former Milwaukee Bucks player Jrue Holiday through a trade after the Lillard transfer. Even though the two-time All-Star was unable to attend Celtics Media Day, he is now a Celtic after passing his physical exams on Tuesday.
Spears remarked, “I know Jayson Tatum called [Damian Lillard]. attempted to speak into his ear. But [Lillard’s] focus is definitely on Miami.”
As it stands, the Celtics and Heat are arguably the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. They’ve faced off against one another in three of the last four Conference Finals and have three combined NBA Finals appearances since 2020. While neither squad was able to win it all in that span, perhaps Lillard is the missing piece they both desire.
For Boston though, Lillard doesn’t make as much sense. The C’s just locked down star guard Jaylen Brown to a massive contract and invested a ton of money in him and new center Kristaps Porzingis. If their front office really believed they had a shot at Lillard, they probably wouldn’t have provided Brown with the richest contract in league history.
Meanwhile, in Miami, a move for the 33-year-old is more likely. South Beach attracts plenty of stars and the Heat’s culture of winning, hard work, and grit was on full display during their impressive run to last year’s Finals. They also have the capital for a significant trade, but whether or not Portland pulls the trigger anytime soon remains to be seen. Regardless of where Lillard ends up, the Celtics-Heat rivalry doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. In fact, the Celtics will host the Heat early on in the 2023-24 NBA season on October 27th.
