Cs want to sign Damian Lillard

[celticsclay]

I mean no disrespect, but equating the offensive impact of Simons or Pritchard to a healthy Lillard is just misguided.  The obvious huge "IF" applies, but IF Lillard returns at a healthy All-Star form, he's an offensive weapon of a caliber that the other two just are not.  Lillard is a guy who can score against strong playoff-caliber defense.  You tired of iso Tatum at the end of quarters?  Lillard gives you another option.  Meanwhile Pritchard struggles against those strong defenses (he beats the pants off the Utahs of the league though) and Simons just spent two years trying to be the guy with poor results. 

Yes, of course it's possible - even likely - that Lillard isn't that guy anymore.  That's the risk.  That's why there's a chance we can afford him at all.  But we're not in a position to be picky.  We're capped out, our assets are spent, our young prospects have "average roleplayer" ceilings, and our star is in a boot.  If you honestly want to take another shot at contention with this core, IMO you take a chance on Lillard.  Otherwise you sell off and rebuild.

Really nice thoughtful post. I do think the Lillard we have watched for a decade is in a different tier than simons and pritchard. Event his past year that was true. However, as you say if he loses a half step maybe the fall off it quite dire. I guess one of my biggest thoughts on this is there a single small player that has been very effective at 35 or 36? I know we have entered a new age where players like Lebron, Durant and Curry have stayed effective at an age that was previously impossible. However, is Chris paul the best aging example for a small guard?

[Celtics4ever]

Signing old guards, has not worked out for us in the past.  Kemba did not.

I don't think we should sign him.  No defense, his athletic ability will only worse with age.   No man beats father time.

[Silas]

Signing old guards, has not worked out for us in the past.  Kemba did not.

I don't think we should sign him.  No defense, his athletic ability will only worse with age.   No man beats father time.

I always wondered whether Lebron is human.

[blink]

Signing old SMALL guards, has not worked out for us in the past.  Kemba did not.

I don't think we should sign him.  No defense, his athletic ability will only worse with age.   No man beats father time.

I have one correction above to your statement above in bold.   One reason I agree with you is the older small guards get, the more they get abused defensively.  Teams will go after Lillard on def big time. 

If we still have Tatum, Brown, White, PP, Hauser, and even Al, then one thing we really need (other than a starting center!! obviously) is a big guard that be a defensive game changer but be able to contribute on offense and and occasionally have big scoring nights.   We need to find another Jrue Holiday.   During our last title year, Jrue was solid on both ends, and him together with White made things hard for other guards in the playoffs.  Yes Lillard still might be able to fill it up, but imo he is going to be too much of a defensive liability.   Unless we want to win every game 140-138.

[Neurotic Guy]

Is there any evidence of an existing good relationship between Lillard and JT?  If so, I think the idea of them working together to rehab should be appealing to both of them. They are two historically good workers who could help each other a lot in this process (I would think). I wonder if JT is playing any role in recruiting Dame or trying to convince Brad to try and get him. I have no real faith in the current rumor mill (though I do love a good rumor) - but I think it?s an interesting twist to the signing to have two star level players possibly rehabbing the same injury, sustained pretty close in time, together.

[Muzzy66]

I don't see an issue with it so long as Lillard is willing to cast his ego aside and:
a] Accept a low cost deal (either vet min or MLE)
b] Accept the fact that this is the Jays' team, and show a willingness to sacrifice touches and the spotlight to do what the team needs

Given the way he's been talking/acting over the past few years I'm not sure if he's going to be capable of putting that ego aside - he seems to think he's still a budding young superstar in his prime.  I hope he can take a look at Jrue and recognise that Jrue's willingness to sacrifice ultimately earned him a ring, and that if Lillard was willing to do the same that would increase his chances of getting one of his own. 

The downside is that having Lillard, Tatum and Brown - that's a lot of guys who need the ball in their hands to be at their best. 

Either way, if the price is right and situation is right I'd kick the tyres on it.

[Who]

If Lillard joins, he and Tatum may not be rehabbing together here in Boston. I believe Lillard was already rehabbing away from the team (Bucks) back in Portland where he has a home.

There was something a few days ago. A reporter saying the Bucks were disappointed with Lillard for rehabbing in Portland. Lillard responded and said that was untrue. Milwaukee agreed with the plan for him to rehab in Portland. They were on-board and not unhappy with that plan. Said the reporter was lying about the unhappy part.

[Muzzy66]

Signing old guards, has not worked out for us in the past.  Kemba did not.

I don't think we should sign him.  No defense, his athletic ability will only worse with age.   No man beats father time.

To be fair, Kemba may not have worked out so badly if the circumstances were different.

We signed Kemba at what seemed to be his prime age, at a time when we lacked a clear star player on our roster.  As such we locked him in for max salary money over a long period of time, with the expectation that he would be our go-to offensive option. 

He actually mostly delivered on that to begin with in year one, but then injuries broke him down and it all went to poop. 

The difference right now is that we would not be signing Lillard for max money, and we wouldn't be signing him with the expectation of carrying a team.  We already have clear leaders in Tatum and Brown.  The assumption is that if we did bring in Lillard we would be paying him at most MLE money for a period of only 1-2 years.  We would also be expecting him to be at most as #3 scoring option after Tatum and Brown...and would be fine with him being as low as a #5 option after Tatum, Brown, White and Pritchard.

If you only need Lillard to be a #4-#5 option, and you're only committing MLE money over a year or two, then that seems to me like a very low risk, high reward deal.  He probably misses all of this season, then in year #2 if he doesn't deliver what you hope he will you simply dont extend him afterwards and let him walk.  And if he does (by some chance) come back to anywhere close to his old self then you have yourself a huge win.

I don't see Lillard as the type of guy we would lean heavily on to carry the team.  I see him as that extra wildcard option who you can go to every now and then when Tatum / Brown are having a bad night and just gives you a little extra offensive depth.  Also when you are in the big moments at the end of key playoff games, and the defence stops you from getting the ball to Tatum/Brown, Lillard gives you another proven clutch shooter/scorer that you can run a play for and who can potentially deliver with a big shot.

In the clutch if you're an opposing team and you need to defend against a game winning shot, and you have Tatum/Brown/White/Lillard/Pritchard out on the floor, who do you leave open? Every one of those guys is deadly in the clutch.   

[Goldstar88]

Lillard will be target relentlessly in the post season. There is a reason Brad did away with the small guards that Danny had signed.

Pritchard is a much better defender at this stage and he even becomes a liability in the playoffs.

[radiohead]

If ever the Cs sign Lillard, I?m sure Brad will explain what his role would be in this team. He cannot expect to have the same usage he had in Milwaukee. He will need to buy in to Joe?s equal opportunity offense, and he must learn to accept the fact that he?ll be the third fiddle to JT and JB. He?ll need to embrace his role like KP and Jrue did.

[SparzWizard]

Is there any evidence of an existing good relationship between Lillard and JT?  If so, I think the idea of them working together to rehab should be appealing to both of them. They are two historically good workers who could help each other a lot in this process (I would think). I wonder if JT is playing any role in recruiting Dame or trying to convince Brad to try and get him. I have no real faith in the current rumor mill (though I do love a good rumor) - but I think it?s an interesting twist to the signing to have two star level players possibly rehabbing the same injury, sustained pretty close in time, together.

Lillard will be fighting with Tatum for #0 in Boston. Too bad for Dame, Tatum has the final say in this since he's an NBA champ with that number in Boston 

[Neurotic Guy]

I guess Washburn answered my previous question. According to him JT and DL are friends and they very well might rehab together if Dame comes this way. Of course no one knows the degree to which that is true or the degree to which that is a real motivator for Lillard to come to Boston, but speculation appears to be growing that there is smoke to this rumor.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/jayson-tatum-news-emerges-amid-190159300.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJLXRjUhLOnJl_y0vtU-haaILho_rnv3QuS9W0C_QMKA3RMF-GUtNNKw2YiExZLCKoQGiOeKt39mm2ofK_4hx5f7amhiesBM3z9lZAlLKNtj63DpA3bb-P2dx6tpsPV7589rYXEcM9EFGqtVnaHgWdVdIMJxIAMj_IUHb2ULt9MG

[SparzWizard]

I guess Washburn answered my previous question. According to him JT and DL are friends and they very well might rehab together if Dame comes this way. Of course no one knows the degree to which that is true or the degree to which that is a real motivator for Lillard to come to Boston, but speculation appears to be growing that there is smoke to this rumor.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/jayson-tatum-news-emerges-amid-190159300.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJLXRjUhLOnJl_y0vtU-haaILho_rnv3QuS9W0C_QMKA3RMF-GUtNNKw2YiExZLCKoQGiOeKt39mm2ofK_4hx5f7amhiesBM3z9lZAlLKNtj63DpA3bb-P2dx6tpsPV7589rYXEcM9EFGqtVnaHgWdVdIMJxIAMj_IUHb2ULt9MG

Let's bring up the other poster's idea, ask Haliburton does he also want to recover in Boston with Tatum and Dame? We'll give Indy Jaylen Brown for him and a few key guys. A Big 3 of Dame, Tatum, and Haliburton? Ooooof got a few ice in their veins players to rely on now