Marc Stein revealed the Celtics' level of interest in Ben Simmons after losing the Damian Lillard sweepstakes.

Celtics Fan Favorite Is Trending After Damian Lillard Move originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Boston Celtics were interested in Damian Lillard, but the nine-time All-Star decided on Thursday to return to where his NBA career started when he re-joined the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Celtics were one of several teams linked to Damian Lillard before the point guard elected to sign with the Blazers this week. The three-year deal worth $42 million led to a surprise reunion in Portland two years after he requested a trade out of the northwest.