Well hasn't the outlook of the Milwaukee Bucks changed drastically? Granted they were a contender before the Damian Lillard-Jrue Holiday trade just as they are after it, but a whole new set of circumstances surrounds this team now heading into the 2023-24 season. Clearly, the talent that they have at their disposal is significant, but can they make it work? Here are a couple of burning questions that the new-look Bucks need to answer ahead of the upcoming season.

2. Can they cover the defensive loss of Jrue Holiday?

In gaining Damian Lillard, the Bucks have clearly gained plenty on offense. But there should be no underestimating the loss of Jrue Holiday, particularly at the defensive end of the floor. Holiday was a hugely valuable member of the Bucks team over the three seasons he spent in Milwaukee for a number of reasons, but most notable is the defense which has made him one of the pre-eminent defensive guards in the league over the past few seasons.

In Holiday's first season with the Bucks he was a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team, just as he was last season. In the one sandwiched in the middle, he made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. For all of Lillard's extraordinary talents, he's clearly not going to be achieving anything like that.

This trade will likely change the identity of the Bucks. Last season, their offense was bang on average, coming in at the 15th best in the league, while their defense was 4th. That defensive identity of which Holiday was such a huge part will likely be lost to some extent this season, but to compete they'll need to ensure they remain defensively sound, while capitalizing on the improved offensive capability which Lillard will bring.

1. Is Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton a championship-winning trio?

The Bucks have been in the mix ever since winning their championship in 2021, but consecutive early exits from the playoffs – most notably an incredible five-game first round loss after finishing first in the Eastern Conference last season – have seen Giannis publicly state his willingness to change teams if he doesn't think he can win another championship in Milwaukee. It seems that the powers that be have listened.

With Holiday and Middleton alongside Giannis, the Bucks were clearly good enough to win, but they hadn't been getting the job done over the past couple of seasons – at least not in the postseason. Now, the needle has moved in a big way. The Bucks now have an even more talented trio than what they already had, and aside from the Durant-Booker-Beal led Suns, no team in the NBA can claim to have as good a big three as they do.

So can they heed Antetokounmpo's call and translate that into championship success? There's not much doubt that, barring injury, this team will be right up the top of the Eastern Conference come season's end. There may well be some growing pains, as there so often are when superstars join forces, but it's a pretty safe assumption that Antetokounmpo and Lillard will find a way to make it work.

The question is, can they make it work in the playoffs? Lillard has plenty of playoff experience, and though that's predominantly been in the early rounds, he's not exactly the kind of player who is likely to wilt under the pressure. Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Lopez have, of course, all gone all the way, so competing for a championship isn't anything new for them.

But this move has made one thing clear for the Bucks – despite what Giannis may have to say about failure, anything less than a championship in 2023-24 will be, at the very least, highly disappointing. The bar has been set very high in Milwaukee – can they reach it?