Celtics reportedly not a desired destination for Damian Lillard

The Celtics and Clippers are "a resounding no" for Lillard, who reportedly prefers the Miami Heat.

Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Trail Blazers earlier in July, though the Celtics are reportedly not a desired destination. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

By Hayden Bird

July 11, 2023 | 9:33 AM

Tonight, the American League faces the National League in the 93rd edition of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game. The game, which will be played at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Tomorrow, the Revolution will be at home to play Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m.

The latest on Damian Lillard trade rumors: One of the leading subplots of the NBA offseason currently is the prospect of Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard being traded to a team that has a chance to contend next season.

Lillard, 32, is a seven-time All-Star and would inevitably add quality to whichever team he could theoretically join. The Celtics, despite being a likely contender, are apparently not his desired destination.

As NBA reporter Shams Charania of The Athletic recently noted in an interview with Pat McAfee, any “back channel research” conducted by a team like Boston has turned up negative feedback.

“Whether it’s the Clippers, whether it’s the Celtics, those are among the two teams that have had a level of interest in Dame Lillard,” Charania said. “The answer has been a resounding no. He wants to be in Miami, period. And if you trade for him, I think there’s the risk of trading for a disgruntled player.”

“You don’t want to trade for a guy that you could bring in and he’s either going to be disgruntled, not happy, [and] could ask out again.”

From the Celtics’ perspective, a potential Lillard trade might not even make sense. Whether because of that or Lillard’s apparent desire to only leave Portland for Miami, it appears Boston may look elsewhere. According to a report from Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe earlier in July, the Celtics are “not expected to be in the mix” for Lillard.

Trivia: Damian Lillard won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2013. Can you name the three Celtics who have won the award since it first began following the 1952-1953 season?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: The respective colleges these players attended were Holy Cross, Florida State, and Indiana State.

More from Boston.com:

The home run derby final: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won Monday’s derby. As his father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., also won it during his Hall of Fame career, they became the first father-son duo to win the competition in its history.

On this day: In 1914, Babe Ruth made his Major League debut. He went 0-for-2 at the plate before being pinch-hit for by Duffy Lewis, but Ruth allowed just two earned runs over seven innings as the Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Naps 4-3.