Damian Lillard became the most highly sought-after free agent of the summer when the Milwaukee Bucks bought him out of his contract. Lillard, 35, is currently sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury. His availability to play in the 2025-26 season is in question. Nevertheless, teams were reportedly lining up for the chance to acquire him on a cost-controlled deal. Among the rumored front-runners were the Boston Celtics. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens has been forced to make sweeping changes to coach Joe Mazzulla’s roster, primarily due to the second luxury tax apron. Lillard was projected as a low-cost, high-production addition to the roster. However, on Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Lillard had agreed to a three-year, $42M deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. Some sections of Boston’s fan base may view this as a missed opportunity. Lillard, after all, is an All-Star-level point guard. Yet, it’s vital to put things into perspective. There’s no telling what type of p
