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Why the Boston Celtics should avoid adding Damian Lillard

Why the Boston Celtics should avoid adding Damian Lillard

USA Today08-07-2025
Since the Milwaukee Bucks waived Damian Lillard, the Boston Celtics have been rumored to hold an interest in the veteran guard. Lillard, 35, is currently sidelined with an Achilles tendon tear. He's expected to miss the upcoming 2025-26 season; therefore, like Jayson Tatum, we shouldn't expect to see him until October 2026.
Lillard is an All-Star, and he's also one of the best offensive guards in the NBA. However, his style of play could be counterproductive for how Boston likes to approach things on the court. Lillard needs to dominate the ball to be at his best; he also needs a high-volume shot diet, averaging over 17 per game this past season. Furthermore, his defense leaves a lot to be desired, which could irk Joe Mazzulla, who likes his stars to be two-way talents.
It's for those reasons that a recent episode of "WEEI Afternoons" was dedicated to the subject of why the Celtics should resist the temptation to acquire Lillard on the free agency market. The hosts dove into a range of issues that could occur by adding the veteran ballhandler, including the fact that ball-dominant guards have seldom worked when playing next to Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
You can watch the full discussion episode by clicking on the embedded video above.
Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
Website: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf
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