5 teams that could make a compelling trade offer for Damian Lillard

3. Boston Celtics

Brad Stevens’ tenure as president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics isn’t even a month gone, but he’s already made some aggressive moves. He traded Kemba Walker and a first- and second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a second-rounder in a money-saving move.

The next step is setting up newly hired head coach Ime Udoka to succeed. What better way to do that than bringing in a player of Damian Lillard’s caliber?

This one comes down to just how bold Stevens is willing to be. The Trail Blazers will get some pretty competitive offers for Lillard, so trust that it’ll take some tough decisions to put together a workable package. Realistically, Portland can ask for Jaylen Brown and maybe even Marcus Smart to make the trade happen.

Brown achieved his first All-Star nod this past season by averaging 24.7 points and 3.4 assists per game, both career highs. Smart led the Celtics with 5.7 assists a night while providing his usual stout defense.

Neither Brown nor Smart can match Lillard’s superstar impact, but those are two excellent players who can help the Blazers get younger.

It’s the same story as the Knicks when it comes to the viability of this trade, though. The Celtics have to decide the cost is worth it.