It happened. After months of delay, the Damian Lillard sweepstake that dragged throughout the off-season finally come to a close. In a 3-team trade involving Phoenix, Portland, and Milwaukee, the reigning #1 East seed Milwaukee Bucks have shockingly come out of nowhere to land Portland’s superstar point guard.
Following a disappointing conclusion to the Portland Trail Blazers’ 22-23 NBA season, which ended in the team missing the playoffs for the second year in a row, the Blazers’ front office had a crucial decision to make in the off-season: Would they make a drastic move in hopes of contending for a Championship in the Damian Lillard era? Or would they embrace the failures of the team led by an aging superstar and start a long overdue rebuild? After keeping the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and drafting the highly-rated PG Scoot Henderson—who happens to play the same position as their franchise player—Dame got his answer.
On July 1, Damian Lillard requested a trade from Portland—specifically, he requested a trade to the reigning Eastern Conference Champions in Miami. With a core that’s made two of the last four finals, Dame viewed himself as the missing piece to take the Heat over the hump as he sought to form a Big 3 with the star pairing of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. As rumors began to circulate that he would refuse to play if he was traded anywhere else, Lillard made his wish list that consisted of Miami and Miami abundantly clear to executives around the league. However, communication between the two organizations stalled due to a lack of appeal from Portland’s side, as their front office was disinterested in the Heat’s package that would’ve consisted of former 6th Man of the Year Tyler Herro and draft capital. As a result of what Portland believed to be an unattractive trade package, another Eastern Conference contender suddenly emerged in the Damian Lillard trade sweepstakes. Ironically enough, it would be the same team that Miami eliminated in the First Round of the 2023 Playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks.
Trade Details:
Bucks Receive: Damian Lillard
Trail Blazers Receive: Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Cámara, Milwaukee’s 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick, and Milwaukee pick swap rights in 2028 and 2030
Suns Receive: Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson
Now how did Dame feel about this? Following the announcement of his trade to the Bucks, the Superstar had little complaints about the surprising destination, as a trade to Milwaukee gave him a real shot at his first Championship ring. More than that, the newly formed Big 3 of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetekounmpo, and Khris Middleton quickly arose as the betting favorites to win it all.
This deal creates endless ramifications for the entire NBA. A clear frontrunner in the East has emerged, with the Bucks championship odds jumping from +650 to +360, now best in the league. But that’s not all. As Jrue Holiday was quickly shipped to the Boston Celtics—last season’s #2 seed—after his trade to Portland in the Lillard deal, Dame’s championship aspirations do not appear to be as easy as many may have expected. An already stacked Celtics team, one which had traded for former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis at the start of the season, has now added another current All-Star and one of the best defenders in basketball with Jrue Holiday. Now, with a multitude of “Super Teams” in the NBA, ranging from the Phoenix Suns and the newly formed Eastern Conference powerhouses, it all begs the ultimate question: which one will prevail and hoist the Larry O’Brian at the end of the season?
