New Big Four wouldn’t happen even if Boston Celtics traded for disgruntled star

Even if the Boston Celtics front office were to land Damian Lillard in a trade, there wouldn’t be a Big Four formed with the star floor general alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis.

Per The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang, Lillard would do the same for every NBA franchise outside of the Miami Heat; a team he’s been advocating to be traded to all offseason.

“A source said this week that Portland generally has continued to be reluctant to engage the Heat in serious talks and has acted disinterested in getting a deal done quickly with Miami, though that conceivably could change as the start of training camp approaches in early October,” the duo reported before adding, “If Lillard is traded to a team other than Miami, he is expected to ask to be traded to the Heat.”

Damian Lillard saga may benefit the Boston Celtics in the end

While it’s true that Tatum did try to recruit Lillard to Boston, the rumors didn’t last long once the point guard denied interest in a trade to the Celtics. Certainly, Cs fans haven’t hung onto it, giving each new Lillard-Celtics proposal a laugh — unless it involves holding onto Derrick White in the process.

Heat fans, meanwhile, have seen many of the Pat Riley diamonds-in-the-rough waiver wire finds sign elsewhere as the team did nothing to improve the roster. Injuries to Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo will hamper Miami at the offset of the regular season, and if Lillard isn’t in tow, so will a lack of meaningful depth and a dearth of star power next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee suddenly in question ahead of the regular season, the Boston Celtics seem to be the team with the least in-fighting at the top of the Eastern Conference totem pole as training camp nears.