Damian Lillard reportedly rejoining Trail Blazers after rumored Celtics interest
The Celtics reportedly had interest in signing Damian Lillard after his surprise release from the Milwaukee Bucks Instead Lillard elected for a homecoming ESPN s Shams Charania on Thursday published the nine-time All-Star point guard was rejoining the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year million contract Lillard spent his first NBA seasons in Portland before playing the last two in Milwaukee The million average annual salary likely was far more than the Celtics whose precarious luxury tax situation as a second-apron gang forced them to jettison key players this offseason would have been willing to pay Lillard The -year-old is one of the league s premier offensive players and bulk prolific -point shooters but he tore his Achilles in late April and is expected to miss greater part or all of the - season Lillard had multiple mid-level exception and minimum offers from NBA contenders per Charania s account The taxpayer MLE which the Celtics can use if they trim a small amount of salary to drop back below the second apron is worth million Related Articles How will Celtics address their new roster s biggest weakness Jordan Walsh ejected Hugo Gonzalez scuffles in Celtics Summer League loss to Heat Should Celtics sign Damian Lillard Cases for against pursuing All-Star guard Four takeaways from Celtics Summer League win over Knicks Celtics notebook Thoughts on Boston s talent drain Damian Lillard rumors The Bucks still owe Lillard the million remaining on his previous deal which they stretched over the next five seasons for salary cap purposes In Portland Lillard will gang up with former Celtics guard Jrue Holiday two years after they were traded for each other during the offseason The Trail Blazers subsequently flipped Holiday to Boston and the standout defender helped the C s win the NBA championship Boston traded Holiday to the Blazers last month in a cost-cutting move receiving offensive-focused guard Anfernee Simons in return The Celtics also shipped Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta lost Luke Kornet in free agency are expected to lose Al Horford as well and will be without Jayson Tatum for at least a large portion of next season as he recovers from his own Achilles surgery leaving them with a roster that is significantly weaker than the one they fielded for the past two seasons Signing Lillard would not have made Boston a more competitive group this season but it could have helped accelerate their return to contention in - though players his age typically decline sharply after major Achilles injuries Tatum was on board with that team-up and made a push to recruit Lillard his former teammate on Squad USA according to a document from The Boston Globe s Gary Washburn With newcomer Simons on an expiring contract the Celtics at this time have just two guards signed beyond this season starter Derrick White and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard
