Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2023 summer. He made it known instantly that he didn't want to play for the Boston Celtics. There could have been a few reasons for that, but ultimately, Lillard ended up with the Milwaukee Bucks.

From Lillard’s perspective, joining the Celtics could give him a realistic shot at a title in 2027, depending on how Tatum recovers and how Stevens and Co. piece together the rest of the roster. The 13-year veteran’s deepest playoff run was a trip to the Western Conference finals with Portland in 2019.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is recruiting Damian Lillard to join the franchise as an unrestricted free agent, according to The Boston Globe. Released earlier this summer by the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard is reportedly open to signing this summer and the Celtics are one of three teams at the top of his potential list of suitors.