A New Buck in Town! Damian Lillard trade makes Milwaukee instant Eastern Conference Champ Favorites

The Bucks stop here! Well metaphorically speaking, the Milwaukee Bucks may have just engraved their name on the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks announced that a three-team deal had been reached that will land them Damian Lillard. NBA attorneys received the terms of the proposed deal Friday and signed off, sending the National Basketball League into a frenzy.

After months of back and forth with his long tenured club, the Portland Trail Blazers‘, it was obvious that the relationship had run its course without a chance of reconciliation. Damian Lillard, regarded as a top five player in the league, and perhaps, one of the best point guards spent 11 amazing seasons with the Trail Blazers. Shortly after the NBA free agency deadline, Damian Lillard made it clear that his desire was to be traded to the Miami Heat. One problem! Although a Jimmy Butler / Damian Lillard pairing would have been exciting, the logistics of such a deal didn’t match either team’s direction.

Now with Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are the team with the best odds of coming out of the Eastern Conference. With the addition of Lillard, the Bucks projected line-up will be Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Pat Connaughton. After winning the title in 2021, the Bucks have failed to win the Eastern Conference, with the Boston Celtics winning in 2022, and the Miami Heat in 2023.

So, was the trade worth it? The pairing of the seven-time All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo is not only box-office but intimidating. Damian Lillard is coming off a 30+ point average with 7.3 assists per game. Just imagine Damian and the two-time KIA MVP, the “Greek Freak” on the court at the same time. Add the defensive presence of Brook Lopez, and the smooth play of Khris Middleton, who can play multi-position on the court, and you have a nightmare on your hands. Rounding out the starting five is 34% three-point assassin and former Trailblazer Pat Connaughton, opposing teams will face match-up issues all season long.

Of course, wins usually come with some sort of loss. The Milwaukee Bucks may have won the prize; however, they lost a major chess piece to their success, the 2009 1st Round Draft pick Jrue Holiday. The two-time NBA All-star, and five-time All-Defensive Team player played a pivotal role in Milwaukee’s 2021 Championship. After losing Holiday in the Lillard trade, it is on everybody’s mind if the Bucks will be able to replace both his energy and defense on the court. Only time will tell~