While some Celtics fans and talking heads opened the team’s offseason insisting the Green should make a trade for Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers star has indicated Boston wouldn’t be his first choice of trade destination.
Lillard recently was asked about four hypothetical trades to the Eastern Conference — Knicks, Heat, Celtics and Nets — and explained how both Miami and Brooklyn would be on the top of his preferred destinations.
Celtics two-time All-NBA First Team selection Jayson Tatum apparently got that message, and chose to humorously reply to Lillard when the star point guard was on a social media stream.
“Damn we get it you don’t like Boston,” Tatum commented with a pair of laughing emojis, as shared by Ball Don’t Lie.
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Lillard then responded: “Now you got my boy JT on here offended. You see? This crazy.”
While Tatum certainly was not taking a shot at Lillard, there might be some truth to his comment. Turner Sports NBA reporter Chris Haynes also indicated he cannot see Lillard being dealt to the Celtics.
“He’s not doing Boston. He’s not,” Haynes told Dan Patrick while appearing on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Thursday. “I don’t see that.”
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Lillard has a trade restriction in his contract that prohibits him from being dealt before July 9, according to Spotrac — the same contract where he carries $45.6 and $48.8 million cap hits over the next two years.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
