This article was originally published on www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak as Boston Celtics Reportedly Miss Out On 9x NBA All-Star . Damian Lillard suffered a season-ending injury during the 2025 NBA playoffs.

Some sections of Boston's fan base may view this as a missed opportunity. Yet, it's vital to put things into perspective.

Baylor Scheierman: Scheierman has played by far the most minutes of any Celtics Summer Leaguer, and he’s been the centerpiece of Boston’s offense, leading the team in assists, field-goal attempts and 3-point attempts by wide margins.

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart disclosed his reaction to the Milwaukee Bucks waiving and extending the contract of star point guard Damian Lillard.

The Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves offered contracts to Damian Lillard, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. However, Lillard chose to sign a three-year, $42 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

From Lillard’s perspective, joining the Celtics could give him a realistic shot at a title in 2027, depending on how Tatum recovers and how Stevens and Co. piece together the rest of the roster. The 13-year veteran’s deepest playoff run was a trip to the Western Conference finals with Portland in 2019.