Celtics
The Celtics were linked as a possible suitor for Lillard shortly after the Bucks bought him out of his contract.
If the Celtics really want Damian Lillard, they might have to play the waiting game for a bit.
The nine-time All-Star guard isn’t in a rush to make a free-agent decision as he rehabs his Achilles this offseason, longtime NBA insider Chris Haynes reported. However, Lillard sign with a team this summer if it’s “under the right terms and conditions,” Haynes added.
Lillard’s willingness to be patient in making a decision could help the Celtics in their pursuit of him. As of Saturday, Boston’s projected salary for the 2025-26 season is right around the second luxury tax apron treshold after it agreed to deals with Luka Garza and Josh Minott this week. That only allows it to offer Lillard the veteran’s minimum at this point.
Prior to the start of free agency, it was reported that the Celtics were still looking to shed salary to try and keep Al Horford and Luke Kornet. While they’ve already lost Kornet to the Spurs and Horford seems likely to leave, shedding salary could allow Boston to use the taxpayer’s mid-level exception.
Having that exception might give the Celtics a financial edge over other potential Lillard suitors. If the Warriors, who are among the teams interested in Lillard according to The Athletic, sign Horford, they would likely use the taxpayer’s mid-level exception in order to do so, meaning they could only sign the star guard via the veteran’s minimum. The Lakers are also reportedly interested in Lillard.
It’s unknown what compensation Lillard is seeking on the open market, but his market is unusual for a pair of reasons. As he tore his Achilles in April, Lillard’s availability for the 2025-26 season is in doubt and his age (he turns 35 later in July) has led to concern over just how impactful he’ll be going forward. But he’s also receiving $112 million from the Bucks after they bought out the the remainder of his contract on Tuesday, so money might not be as big of a concern for Lillard in his free-agent decision.
The Celtics emerged as a potential suitor for Lillard shortly after the Bucks bought out of his contract on Tuesday. Boston is among the group of teams that have shown an early interest in Lillard, who might also be interested in joining the Celtics due to his relationship with Jayson Tatum, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach previously reported.
If the Celtics were to sign Lillard this offseason, that would lend some credence to the idea that they might view the upcoming season as a bit of a gap year. Of course, Tatum is also out indefinitely due to an Achilles tear and his status for the 2025-26 season is unclear.
But if the Celtics were able to land Lillard and have him under contract for the 2026-27 season, it would give them some much-needed rotational depth, at the very least. Boston’s strong rotation has already taken a major hit this offseason, with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis getting traded in June before Kornet’s free-agent departure. Anfernee Simons, who the Celtics received in the deal for Holiday, is only under contract for one more season.
Sign up for Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
