In a stunning move that shook the basketball world, the Milwaukee Bucks made a bold offseason move by acquiring All-NBA guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade. Lillard, whose desire to leave Portland was widely known, was expected to land with the Miami Heat, but the Bucks swooped in and paired him with former champion and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst recently spoke out about the Damian Lillard trade, emphasizing that he had no interest in trading the former champion. The Bucks sent veteran guard Jrue Holiday to Portland in the deal, which ultimately led to Holiday being traded to the Boston Celtics. Holiday played a pivotal role in helping the Celtics secure their first championship since 2008, while the Bucks struggled with coaching changes and a 49-33 record, entering the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games in the first round, with Antetokounmpo sidelined due to injury.
Rumors surfaced earlier in the offseason suggesting that the Bucks might trade big man Brook Lopez to shift their defensive style for the upcoming season. However, Horst declared that he had “zero intentions” of parting ways with the 36-year-old center. Lopez has been a stalwart in Milwaukee for the past six seasons, averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. He has earned two All-Defensive Team selections and was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
Despite the disappointing end to their season, the Bucks are poised to remain in title contention for the foreseeable future. In his debut season with the team, Damian Lillard averaged 24.3 points and 7 assists per game while shooting 42.4% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. Although these numbers were slightly lower than his final year in Portland, Lillard demonstrated his worth to Milwaukee. The trade was seen as a risky move at the time, but it is still too early to determine whether it was a mistake.
