In a stunning move, Damian Lillard, the star point guard of the Portland Trail Blazers, is set to join forces with two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo at the Milwaukee Bucks. This blockbuster trade, reported by ESPN and other media outlets, shakes up the NBA landscape just weeks before the new season kicks off.
Lillard, a seven-time All-Star who has spent his entire 11-year NBA career in Portland, requested a trade in July, and his wish has now been granted with this three-team trade deal involving the Phoenix Suns. Follow your favourite basketball team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet, one of the best basketball gambling sites.
In the deal, the Portland Trail Blazers receive All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday and valuable draft picks from the Bucks. Additionally, the Trail Blazers acquire Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara from the Suns. On the other side, the Suns receive Grayson Allen from the Bucks, and Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson from Portland.
Lillard’s move to Milwaukee is seen as a significant step toward fulfilling Antetokounmpo’s recent call for the Bucks to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021, but the team’s early exit from the playoffs last season was a major disappointment.
The pressure on Milwaukee’s management to build a championship-worthy team increased when Antetokounmpo stated he wouldn’t sign a contract extension until he was convinced the organization was fully committed to contending for a title.
In Milwaukee, Lillard will reunite with Terry Stotts, his former head coach in Portland who joined the Bucks coaching staff in June. Stotts serves as an assistant to head coach Adrian Griffin, who took over after the dismissal of Mike Budenholzer following the Bucks’ playoff exit.
This trade not only reshapes the rosters of the involved teams but also sets the stage for intriguing matchups in the upcoming season, including the Trail Blazers visiting the Bucks on November 26 and the Bucks playing in Portland on January 31. Get the latest updates from the NBA only on Nextbet Sports.
