What does it mean for the Celtics if Damian Lillard wants to leave Portland?
Celtics  Lillard is reportedly upset by the social media reaction to Chauncey Billups hiring. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum drives to the basket against Damian Lillard. Photo by Matthew J Lee/Globe Staff  Damian Lillard is reportedly not happy with the Blazers, and he could even ask for a trade, which again raises the question of whether Brad Stevens and the Celtics will test the trading waters for a superstar this summer. First the nuts and bolts. Thanks to Yahoo! Chris Haynes from sports on Sunday: The massive backlash from the Portland Trail Blazers process to hire a new coach and his concerns about whether a championship contender can be built have become factors that push the franchise player  Damian Lillard  out the door. can push out.  Some context: Chauncey Billups was considered a top contender for multiple jobs in the league (and was reportedly a finalist for the Celtics position), but many NBA fans objected to his candidacy when social media posts resurfaced about a disturbing rape case Billups and then Celtic teammate Ron Mercer settled with a woman in 1997. Lillard later tweeted that he was unaware of the charges against Billups when he initially gave a thumbs up. I was asked which coaches I liked from the names I heard and I mentioned them. Sorry I wasnt aware of their history. I didnt read the news when I was 7/8 years old. I dont support those things but if this is the route you wanna come to me say less https://t.co/N1GPkX3Ohd  Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 26, 2021  Lillard later tweeted multiple more semi-cryptic messages that seemed to express displeasure at his treatment by Blazers fans. That Lillard could be mad at Blazers fans in general is, of course, remarkable and interesting. The Blazers are under no obligation to do anything  Lillard is under contract until 2025, and its worth wondering how willing he is to look like the bad guy after years of building the image of a team-friendly player . Still, stars generally find a way to bend the competition, and if Lillard wants out, the smart money is on him to find a new home. We previously wrote about the pros and cons of the Celtics potentially trading for Lillard, but to reiterate, the Celtics could almost certainly put together the most competitive package for the Blazers superstar but the price could be prohibitive. Many teams would be willing to put together generous offers, including teams that compete directly with the Celtics in the Eastern Conference like the Philadelphia 76ers (imagine a Damian Lillard-Joel Embiid pairing or Lillard-Jimmy Butler-Bam Adebayo). The Blazers will get some strong offers if they make Lillard available. In other words, if the Celtics want Lillard, the prize would probably be Jaylen Brown. The upside when Stevens bites his teeth and makes a competitive offer: The Celtics get a superstar who could be a perfect match with Jayson Tatum. In the playoffs, teams threw two or more defenders at Tatum to force the ball out of his hands. That strategy is less effective when Brown is healthy, but Lillard  with his limitless reach and confidence  would open the floor even further. They would also  again  prevent Lillard from joining an Eastern Conference rival after seeing James Harden with the Nets. The downside is equally obvious: The Celtics would lose a young star with a much friendlier contract and a ton of advantage, seemingly getting better each season. In return, they would receive an upcoming 31-year-old on one of the most lucrative contracts in NBA history. Another report surfaced this weekend courtesy of Brian Windhorst of ESPN Regarding Lillards decision to play basketball for Team USA on Saturday, Lillard was also in touch with Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum, who postponed his decision on Team USA for some time after the season ended to evaluate his off-season priorities.  Lillard and Tatum may have talked exclusively about Team USA, but the timing of the two reports is a little hard to ignore.