Because Gary Washburn is “All in” on Damian Lillard arriving in Boston – NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics suddenly have a golden opportunity to add another superstar to their list.

Tuesday, Milwaukee Bucks has given up a superstar Guard Damian Lillard and will pay the rest of his contract in the next five years. The Celtics-Instead together with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors-Sono “known to be among the many teams” who look at Lillard on the market of free agents, according to Athletic.

Lillard is 34 years old and will probably miss the 2025-26 season after being an Achille torn in the NBA playoffs. However, it is an intriguing option for a Celtics team that apparently focuses next season with his eyes set on 2026-27.

On Thursday Initial editionGary Washburn of Boston Globe explained why he is “all in” on the Celtics that he takes to Lillard.

“It is cheap. $ 5.6 million medium level, two years, because it is already paid by the dollars. So money is not a problem,” Washburn said. “You sit for this year. He lets him rehabilitate his Achilles, that he is part-time to go to Portland and return to Boston, in a certain sense let him do it because he wants to be close to his family. He binds himself with (Jayson) Tatum in rehabilitation, he got healthy and then in 2026-27, now you compete.

“You have two all-nba players who return together with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, and then anyone who is the center. Two all-nba players, three all-stars and a defensive candidate of the year in which five begin to win another title in ’26 -’27. You can’t take two or three years of pause. You can’t do guys, then you’re taking it. “chip”.

Lillard and Jayson Tatum are longtime friends, which could increase Boston’s chances of signing nine times all-stars. If the Celtics Land Lillard, the superstar in tandem could spend the 2025-26 season to rekindle Achilles’ wounds and return to lead a championship contender in 2026-27.

Of course, Lillard’s signature has an evident risk, even if it has an economic contract. He will be 36 years old at the beginning of the 2026-27 season and there is no guarantee that will return to all-star form after Achille surgery and a spanish blood clot problem. The president of the basketball operations of the Celtics Brad Stevens must evaluate the risk and potential reward while his team enters the unknown territory as a loser of the eastern conference.

Next season, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White should be co-protagonists of a Celtics team who separated from Jrue Holiday (trade), Kristaps Porzingis (trade) and Luke Kornet (free agency) this season. The veteran great man at the Horford could be next to starting through the free agency, leaving Boston with a thin frontcourt.

Other moves are coming for Cs while trying to return under the second apron of the luxury tax. They moved back above the threshold after signing the Luka Garza center and the striker Josh Minott as pieces of depth.