Celtics' Jayson Tatum Reveals His Pitch to Damian Lillard During NBA Trade Talks

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum stated his case to Damian Lillard but stopped short of giving the hard sell after the point guard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Tatum explained Tuesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich (via Brian Robb of MassLive.com) he has a good relationship with Lillard and "told him Boston would love to have you if he ever considered it."

"I wasn't trying to change his mind," he said. "When someone has their mind made up, you have to respect it. We talk on FaceTime from time to time, so every once in a while I would tell him Boston is a great place if you didn't know."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported in September on his Hoop Collective podcast the Celtics "kicked the tires" on a possible Lillard trade, but it was unclear how far those negotiations advanced.

The Miami Heat were Lillard's preferred choice from the outset, which Tatum presumably would've known when he chatted with the seven-time All-Star. Nothing was stopping Boston from involving itself in the saga, though. Few had the Milwaukee Bucks as a serious contender before they ultimately landed him.

It's perhaps telling, though, that the Celtics weren't included when Lillard apparently amended his list of desired destinations. Andscape's Marc J. Spears reported he began warming to the Bucks and Brooklyn Nets with his path to Miami obstructed.

Maybe Lillard really didn't want to play in Boston, or more likely, he might have gotten the sense the Celtics weren't making a sustained push.

In time, the team might rue not being more aggressive and watching Dame land with an Eastern Conference rival. Trading for Jrue Holiday wasn't a bad alternative, and could be enough to get the franchise over the top in its quest for an 18th NBA title.