New Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard Report Surfaces Amid Celtics Rumors

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 3:16 PM ET

Damian Lillard’s NBA future is once again a major talking point following a turbulent end to his stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. The nine-time All-Star was waived earlier this summer after suffering a torn Achilles during the 2025 playoffs — a devastating injury that’s expected to sideline him for the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks’ decision to use the stretch provision on his contract means Lillard is now free to sign with any team, sparking immediate speculation about where the veteran guard could land next.

Despite the injury, several contenders remain intrigued by the idea of adding Lillard’s scoring punch on a team-friendly deal.

Among the franchises reportedly monitoring his situation closely are the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, who, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, have emerged on top of Lillard’s preferred landing spots.

Now, a new report from The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn reveals that Celtics star Jayson Tatum has personally stepped in to recruit Lillard to Boston. Washburn reported that Tatum is “taking part in recruiting efforts” to convince the 34-year-old guard to join the 18-time NBA Champions once he’s healthy enough to return.

“Celtics star Jayson Tatum is taking part in recruiting efforts with Damian Lillard according to a report from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe…The Warriors & Lakers are among several contenders that have shown interest in Lillard beyond Boston.” - @BrianTRobb via @masslivenews https://t.co/G0in7t5YhN pic.twitter.com/EUrqhtpBFz
— Dru (@dru_star) July 13, 2025

The two stars built a strong bond while playing together on Team USA during the Tokyo Olympics, and that relationship could help Boston make a compelling case. Like Lillard, Tatum is dealing with a significant setback of his own — the Celtics forward suffered a torn Achilles during the playoffs and is expected to miss a large chunk of the upcoming season.

Even so, Boston’s front office sees a potential long-term payoff in pairing two proven scorers when healthy. Lillard, who averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists last season, would give the Celtics an elite shot creator to complement Tatum and Jaylen Brown once he’s cleared to play.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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