Milwaukee Bucks send shockwaves through NBA with Damian Lillard trade

27 September 2023 , 18:30

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Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers is on his way to the Timberwolves in a three team trade

The Portland Trail Blazers traded star point guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a 3-team deal involving the Phoenix Suns. In the trade, Portland received Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee's 2029 unprotected 1st-round draft pick, and unprotected Milwaukee swap rights in 2028 and 2030.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski report revealed that the Suns traded for Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson. When Lillard asked for a trade in July, it was evident that he wanted to join the Miami Heat. Lillard's agent, Aaron Goodwin, informed Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald about his client's interest in playing for Miami.

The NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams, warning that any future statements made by Goodwin or Lillard suggesting that Lillard would not fulfill his player contract obligations if traded would lead to disciplinary measures. Despite Lillard's preference, the Bucks made the trade instead, and the Heat could not bring him on board.

Lillard, who is 33 years old, is coming off of one of his best statistical NBA seasons, averaging 32.2 points per game with a true shooting percentage of 64.5% last year. He's ranked in the percentile pick-and-roll point guard and one of the most dangerous pull-up shooters in the league, only rivaling Golden State Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry.

The Bucks, who suffered a loss to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs last year, welcome Lillard to the team to improve their chances of returning to the NBA Finals. Although Giannis Antetokounmpo was injured in the first game of the playoff series, he returned for the last two losses.

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The Trail Blazers are now focused on rebuilding. They have a young backcourt with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, and they've added young forwards and draft picks to their roster. Lillard is arguably the best player in franchise history, but they received value for a player his age with such a lucrative long-term contract. Lillard still has four years and $216 million left on his contract.

During his time with the franchise, Lillard led the team to eight postseason appearances, including a Western Conference finals appearance in the 2018-19 season. Despite Lillard being one of the statically best players in franchise history, the Blazers could not achieve their ultimate goal and often experienced first-round exits. However, Lillard's legacy in Portland is still significant. He holds the record for the most points scored in franchise history with 19,376, surpassing Clyde Drexler in 2022. He has franchise records for most 3-pointers made, free throws made, and scoring average.

Damian Lillard will now be teammates with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Bucks are facing immense pressure to retain their star player, Antetokounmpo, amidst growing concerns from fans and interest from rival teams. Despite being under contract with the Bucks until the 2024-25 season, Antetokounmpo holds a player option worth nearly $52 million for the 2025-26 season.

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Antetokounmpo disclosed that his decision regarding his future with the team will hinge on the team's performance under new head coach Adrian Griffin. Given his two-time MVP and 2021 NBA Champion status, Antetokounmpo's decision could significantly shape the team's future beyond the upcoming seasons.

"You've got to see the dynamics," Antetokounmpo said. "How the coach will be, how we're going to be together. At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know, and the organization knows that I want to win a championship. As long as we're on the same page with that, and you show me, and we go together to win a championship, I'm all for it."

Rory Robinson