Why the Boston Celtics should avoid adding Damian Lillard
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
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mavericks' trade proposal sends former 15.7 PPG scorer to Charlotte
The Dallas Mavericks lucked out when they landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, selecting Duke standout Cooper Flagg. After adding Flagg and trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis last season, the team now boasts solid frontcourt depth. While the Mavericks appear to have a win-now mindset, they may consider flipping one of their frontcourt pieces for future assets. MORE: Blockbuster trade proposal sees LeBron James landing in Dallas Zach Roberts of recently compiled a mock trade that would reunite P.J. Washington with the Charlotte Hornets, who traded the forward to Dallas in February 2024. Here's Roberts' proposed trade: Mavericks receive: Pat Connaughton, 2031 first-round pick, 2031 second-round pick Hornets receive: P.J. Washington, 2030 second-round pick Washington has been a mainstay in Dallas' starting lineup since arriving there, but on a fully healthy Mavericks squad featuring Flagg, Davis, Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, it wouldn't be surprising to see him slide to the second unit. While the 26-year-old forward is a better player than Connaughton, Washington is also on an expiring contract. If Dallas decides against extending him this summer, trading him for future assets could be a logical move. The Kentucky product has been a reliable three-and-D contributor for the Mavericks and was part of their 2024 NBA Finals run with Doncic. Washington appeared in 57 regular-season games during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc across 32.2 minutes per game. MORE NBA NEWS: Former 76ers guard drawing interest from Golden State in free agency 76ers linked to blockbuster trade proposal for four-time MVP LeBron James Old JJ Redick take on Marcus Smart resurfaces after ex-Celtic lands with Los Angeles Ex-Bucks star Damian Lillard shares daughter's hilarious reaction to Portland reunion Ex-Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic looking to put conditioning concerns to rest
USA Today
23 minutes ago
- USA Today
OKC Thunder mailbag: What does Ousmane Dieng's future look like?
The calendar nears August, which means the NBA is in its driest part of the year. Rosters are mostly set as front offices head into vacations for the next couple of months before training camps start. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season with the hopes of being repeat NBA champions. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a 68-14 regular-season record and captured the Larry O'Brien trophy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren were all signed to new contract extensions this offseason. As the Thunder basically run it back with the same roster, Thunder Wire will conduct regular mailbags to answer questions that fans have. One question being asked is about Ousmane Dieng's future. The 22-year-old has been the odd man out among the Thunder's historic 2022 draft class that bolstered their championship run. Being a long-term project and dealing with untimely injuries halted his development. On an expiring $6.7 million salary, Dieng could soon be on the way out. Considering how deep the Thunder are, time has likely run out for him to make an impression. He's averaged 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 109 career games through three seasons. He's spent roughly equal time on the G League's OKC Blue, which has helped his development, but an NBA logjam has buried him on the depth chart. We've seen this movie play out before. Odds are, Dieng will be moved. Either this offseason or at the trade deadline. He hasn't shown enough in three seasons to warrant a second deal, even with the caveat that we all understood the first two seasons were going to be spent as developmental years. As the Thunder quickly ascended to the top of the league, Deing couldn't keep up. A fresh start could do him some good. From what he's shown at the Blue, he clearly has some ball-handling skills and is more of a rhythm scorer. Those types of possessions just aren't afforded to him in OKC. He's better suited to a rebuild situation that will give him room to grow. Instead of being stuck in an off-ball role because he has All-NBA teammates. Now, what a Dieng trade looks like remains to be seen. The expiring salary is always a plus. That's a tool every front office looks for to conjure up trade ideas. His young age and inexperience should also help his market. Plenty of rebuilding front offices could convince themselves he's a new situation away from being a rotation wing. Also important to mention that Dieng won't be the headliner in any deal he's included in. He'll be a nice flyer for another team and could be the final selling point for a trade, but won't be the main piece. The only real question is when he gets traded. The Thunder could hold onto him until the trade deadline to see if they need to make any roster improvements before the playoffs. They're in no rush to make a decision until then. Either way, Dieng was worth the investment. The Thunder were in a rebuild at the time and didn't have anybody besides Gilgeous-Alexander whom they could pinpoint as a certified piece of their core. When you're in the infancy stages of a rebuild, taking a swing on a super young and raw prospect is always worth the gamble.
Fox News
24 minutes ago
- Fox News
LeBron James trade rumors have 'quieted down', Will he move in the offseason?
Trade talk surrounding LeBron James has quieted down, and Colin Cowherd asks what's next for LeBron.
