Getty Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers
With Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard on the market, the Boston Celtics have an opportunity on their hands to get one of the league’s best players while he’s still in his prime. However, according to The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, it appears the Celtics aren’t all that interested in the seven-time NBA star.
“The Celtics have no intention of entering the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, according to league sources. Things can change suddenly, of course. Maybe Boston gets pulled in as a third team in a deal. But the Celtics are not pursuing the Trail Blazers star, whose trade request has become the story of the NBA offseason.”
Since he made his trade request, Lillard has made it clear that he only wants to play for the Miami Heat, as his agent has told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
News: Regarding report about message to non Heat teams, Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, tells me: “I do what I should for my client. Some teams I did call. Other teams have called me. It’s a respectful relationship with most teams. Truthfully, he wants to play in Miami. Period.”
However, because of the Heat’s lack of appealing assets to offer for Lillard, the Trail Blazers are evidently not interested in a trade. The Celtics could potentially make a deal without including Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown to match the salaries, but that offer isn’t all too much better than the Heat’s.
Kristaps Porzingis Trade Led to Grant Williams’ Exit
In Himmelsbach’s report, he wrote that the Celtics expected to keep Grant Williams as he played out the last year of his rookie contract.
“Since last fall, when Grant Williams and the Celtics were unable to come to terms on a contract extension, Boston’s brass insisted publicly and privately that Williams remained a part of the franchise’s long-term plan, even after he slipped out of coach Joe Mazzulla’s playoff rotation,” Himmelsbach wrote.
Himmelsbach reported that, following the Celtics’ trade for Kristaps Porzingis, they ultimately decided to move on from Williams.
“More than anything, sources said, the Celtics never expected to acquire a 7-foot-3-inch former All-Star in Kristaps Porzingis, whose arrival would further reduce Williams’s role. Williams and his camp made it clear that he just wanted an opportunity to play, and sources said Stevens considered that when essentially allowing Williams to move on.”
Williams would have been the fourth big on the Celtics’ depth chart behind Porzingis, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III. Having him behind them would have been a good luxury to have, but evidently, the Celtics did not want to pay good money for someone with as small a role as Williams would have had if he stayed on the team.
The Celtics Next Move After Grant Williams Trade
Following the Williams trade, Himmelsbach previewed what the Celtics could do next.
“The Celtics have two open roster spots. One could go to second-round pick Jordan Walsh, and a new opening could eventually be created with forward Justin Champagnie’s non-guaranteed deal for next season.”
Himmelsbach added that the Celtics got another asset worth mentioning from the Williams trade and who else they might bring back.
“Boston also received a trade exception worth about $7 million in the Williams sign-and-trade that could be somewhat useful down the road. The list of compelling free agents is relatively sparse. Maybe the team eventually looks to bring back Blake Griffin or former Celtics wing Javonte Green.”