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Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Called Damian Lillard Amid Trade Rumors

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated31 Aug 2023

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Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum Called Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard Amid Trade Rumors

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum attempted to recruit Portland Trail Blazers standout Damian Lillard to Beantown this offseason amid ongoing trade rumors. Lillard’s preferred team to play for is the Miami Heat.

Andscape’s Marc J. Spears said on the Sports by Northwest podcast with Bill Oram that Tatum called Lillard in an attempt to convince him to ask for a trade to the Celtics.

“He’s kind of got that kind of like military basketball mentality. He wants to work,” Spears said. “Also, the stability of the organization, the winning, like they’ve been to the Finals what, seven times since 2006? Obviously, Bam, and Jimmy helps, no State tax helps, sunshine helps.”

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Boston Celtics hold second-shortest odds to win next season’s 2024 championship behind the Denver Nuggets. Sportsbooks are still showing favorable odds for the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.


“And I think at 33 years old, he looks at the landscape of the West and it’s like ‘mmm… I think my chances are better to go out East, and if Miami is able to make the Finals without somebody like myself, what can they do with me?’” Spears added.

“So, you don’t make that move unless it’s certainly a calculated risk. And I know that Boston, I know Jayson Tatum has called him, try to get in his ear, but his focus is definitely on Miami.”

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum contacted Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard during trade negotiations; Patrick Beverley believes Boston will never win a championship with Tatum-Brown duo

Last week, Philadelphia 76ers guard Patrick Beverley said on his “The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone” YouTube show that Boston will never win an NBA championship with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown together. Instead, maybe winning a title with Damian Lillard is more likely.

When a Boston fan asked Beverley his thoughts on whether the C’s can still win a championship with Tatum and Brown, the guard replied, “No. … Too much of the same player, they don’t complement each other enough.”

The Celtics made the playoffs each season of Tatum and Brown’s NBA careers. Boston advanced to the 2022 NBA Finals with the star duo, but the C’s lost in six games to the Golden State Warriors.


Tatum, 25, made 74 starts with the Celtics in the 2022-23 season. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged career highs of 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 36.9 minutes per game while shooting 46.6% from the floor and 35% outside the arc.

During the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Tatum scored an NBA-record 51 points in Game 7 of Boston’s 112-88 second-round win over the Philadelphia 76ers, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year.

The four-time All-Star became the first NBA player to record 50 points in the regular season, All-Star Game, and playoffs in the same season. The six-year veteran is also the first player with 50 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a series-clinching win.

The Celtics could really use Damian Lillard.

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