New Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard Report Surfaces Amid Celtics Rumors
Damian Lillard's NBA future is once again a major talking point following a turbulent end to his stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. The nine-time All-Star was waived earlier this summer after suffering a torn Achilles during the 2025 playoffs — a devastating injury that's expected to sideline him for the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks' decision to use the stretch provision on his contract means Lillard is now free to sign with any team, sparking immediate speculation about where the veteran guard could land next.
Advertisement
Despite the injury, several contenders remain intrigued by the idea of adding Lillard's scoring punch on a team-friendly deal.
Former Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0)© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Among the franchises reportedly monitoring his situation closely are the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, who, according to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, have emerged on top of Lillard's preferred landing spots.
Now, a new report from The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn reveals that Celtics star Jayson Tatum has personally stepped in to recruit Lillard to Boston. Washburn reported that Tatum is 'taking part in recruiting efforts' to convince the 34-year-old guard to join the 18-time NBA Champions once he's healthy enough to return.
Advertisement
The two stars built a strong bond while playing together on Team USA during the Tokyo Olympics, and that relationship could help Boston make a compelling case. Like Lillard, Tatum is dealing with a significant setback of his own — the Celtics forward suffered a torn Achilles during the playoffs and is expected to miss a large chunk of the upcoming season.
Even so, Boston's front office sees a potential long-term payoff in pairing two proven scorers when healthy. Lillard, who averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists last season, would give the Celtics an elite shot creator to complement Tatum and Jaylen Brown once he's cleared to play.
Related: Celtics' Brad Stevens Announces Al Horford News After Lakers Report
Related: Celtics' Derrick White Post Turns Heads After Warriors Trade Report
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Angel Reese's Recent Announcement Draws Reaction From Indiana Fever Guard
Angel Reese's Recent Announcement Draws Reaction From Indiana Fever Guard originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has had a big few weeks. Since June 22, she's recorded seven straight double-doubles, including five with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. Advertisement She was also named a WNBA All-Star for the second year in a row on Sunday. But that's not all—on Wednesday, the video game NBA 2K revealed her as the cover athlete for the 2K26 WNBA edition. "She's got next Angel Reese is your #NBA2K26 WNBA Edition Cover Athlete!" NBA 2K wrote on social media. On the cover, Reese also debuted her signature shoe, the "Angel Reese 1," scheduled for release in 2026. After 2K's reveal, the WNBA rebounding leader took to social media to share a message. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images "Of course we do everything BIG," Reese wrote. "Why not debut my signature shoe on the cover of NBA2K ?!?!" The post received over three million views, and among those who saw it was Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson. Colson then replied to Reese's post using two words. Advertisement "🔥🔥that girl!" Colson said. Reese and Colson may not have played for the same team, but it's clear they've become friends over the past couple of years. Colson is in her 11th season in the WNBA and her first with the Fever. She came over from the Las Vegas Aces after spending time with the Sky, Minnesota Lynx, San Antonio Stars and New York Liberty. As for Reese, she's in her second season with the Sky after being drafted seventh overall in 2024. She joined Chicago just over two years after Colson left. Related: Angel Reese Claps Back at Haters After Earning Second All-Star Selection Related: Caitlin Clark Makes Surprising Comment About Her Fever Future This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Makes Strong Statement After Sky-Lynx
Angel Reese Makes Strong Statement After Sky-Lynx originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky faced the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, looking to secure consecutive wins for just the second time this season. The only other instance came back on May 29 and 31, when they won back-to-back games against the Dallas Wings. Advertisement Angel Reese has made it clear that she and her team have been putting in more effort lately — and that was certainly evident on Saturday. They came out on fire, putting up 29 points in the first quarter. They then took a 13-point lead into halftime. However, a big third quarter by the Lynx got them back in the game. Lynx star Napheesa Collier finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists — but it wasn't enough, as the Sky upset the Lynx, 87–81, despite entering as 11.5-point underdogs, according to ESPN Bet. Reese also had a big game, recording another double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. After the win, she spoke to the media and emphasized how much this win meant to her team. "This one meant a lot to us," Reese said. "We can't let anything else other than ourselves take us out of the game. I think we were super locked in today. It was just fun. Everybody had a lot of fun tonight." Advertisement Angel Reese of the Chicago Gorski-Imagn Images This victory was a big confidence boost for a Sky team that has struggled throughout the season. The Lynx came into this contest as the clear best team in the WNBA, holding an 18-3 record. Every other team in the league has at least six losses. Related: Angel Reese Under Fire For Actions Toward Chicago Sky Staffer Related: Angel Reese's Recent Announcement Draws Reaction From Indiana Fever Guard This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Baylor Scheierman nails it from behind the arc
Riley Greene on what's improved in his game to propel him to his 2nd All-Star Game Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene discuss what he's doing better in 2025 that's helped him achieve his second All-Star Game appearance and what makes teammate and fellow All-Star Tarik Skubal so good.
