Damian Lillard has finally been traded. After an offseason full of speculation and the Miami Heat emerging as Dame's preferred landing spot, the seven-time All-Star now finds himself heading east to join Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
As soon as he had requested a trade from the Blazers right at the start of free agency, it appeared as if Lillard's tenure with the team that drafted him in 2012 had come to an end. The organization's inability to lure other stars to Portland and compete for a championship had taken a toll on Lillard, leading to him wanting a change of scenery.
Trade talks surrounding Lillard had picked up over the last week after many discussions went silent in August. The Blazers' desire to trade the All-Star before training camp began drove recent chatter and the Bucks had quietly been in contact with GM Joe Cronin and Portland's front office. Due to the Heat being unable to offer many valuable assets and the Toronto Raptors' inability to come to a decision on a potential trade, Milwaukee seized their opportunity to immediate compete for a title.
However, this trade did come at a price for the Bucks, especially with all of the key talents they had to relinquish. Not only did Milwaukee send Jrue Holiday, an unprotected first-round pick in 2029, and two first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Portland, but they were also forced to give up sharpshooter Grayson Allen to the Suns. As well as receiving the draft compensation they got from the Bucks, the Blazers received former first overall pick Deandre Ayton and recent draftee Toumani Camara from Phoenix.
This trade involving Lillard definitely shifts the balance of power across the NBA. For the three teams involved, many factors now impact their chances to find success both now and in the future.
What the Damian Lillard trade means for the Bucks
Giannis and Lillard are two of the best offensive players in the world. When he is healthy, Khris Middleton can also make a huge impact and be an X-factor for Milwaukee. Just looking back on the Bucks' run to a championship in 2021, it is clear to see that Middleton can be this team's top option at times on the floor.
From the start of the 2018-19 season through the 2021-22 season, Middleton averaged 19.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and 39.3 percent from three-point range. Not counting the 2022-23 season, a year in which Middleton only played in 33 games due to injuries, the three-time All-Star wing has consistently been the second-best offensive option for his team.
His role is obviously going to change now that Lillard is around, but Middleton greatly benefits from this trade because of his talent. To have a two-way presence on the wing and a scorer like him lead the second unit when Lillard and Antetokounmpo are off the floor will be very valuable for the Bucks.
This trade as a whole is a major victory for Milwaukee. Despite Lillard being 33 years old, he is coming off arguably his best season since entering the NBA in 2012 after averaging a career-high 32.2 points per game. He now replaces Holiday, who is also 33, and the Bucks did not have to give up that much real value for one of the best players in the league right now.
Allen is nothing more than a 3-and-D option for the Bucks at the shooting guard position, plus Milwaukee doesn't really have a need to put a lot of value on their future first-round picks due to the championship pursuit they are on right now. Pertaining to the Bucks' rotations, Allen's minutes will go to Pat Connaughton, with newly signed Malik Beasley and MarJon Beauchamp seeing their roles increase as well.
The biggest concern for the Bucks moving forward is, and has been, Giannis' immediate future. After claiming that he would not sign an extension this offseason, the superstar big man sent a message to his organization, one that clearly stated he wanted more help in the team's championship pursuit.
As much as Holiday has meant to the franchise, he was nothing more than a secondary star and a great defender. Whereas the Bucks consistently needed Antetokounmpo on the floor to find success on offense last season, they can now rely on an elite weapon in Lillard when Giannis needs his rest. What the Bucks are going to get with Lillard evolves their offense, something that wasn't going to happen with Holiday.
The biggest question marks surrounding the Bucks following this trade revolve around their bench. Outside of their three stars, as well as Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, Milwaukee is a little thin on reliable options. Veteran forward Jae Crowder will need to step into a bigger role, and it is very likely that Beauchamp could work his way into a key role on the perimeter for this team.
Nonetheless, the Bucks should enter the 2023-24 season as the clear favorites to make the NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference.
What the Damian Lillard trade means for the Blazers
Dame time in Portland is over. A new era has begun for the Trail Blazers, yet it seems like their rebuild started a couple of years back when they got rid of CJ McCollum.
For the first time in over a decade, Lillard will not be the leader of the Blazers entering the season. Instead, this roster is now highlighted by Ayton and a handful of young, recent first-round picks. In fact, Jerami Grant is the only player on their roster, not including Holiday, who doesn't have five or less years of playing experience.
Portland has suddenly become one of the youngest teams in the league and their rebuild is going to be highlighted by athletic, high-potential guards in Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and 2023 third overall pick Scoot Henderson.
Alongside Lillard, Simons proved to be a steady contributor who could take on more on-ball duties as the team's lead guard. He averaged a career-high 21.1 points and a career-high 4.1 assists per game this past year while shooting 37.7 percent from three-point range. Simons was also one of three players to record at least nine made threes in two different games this past season.
As for Sharpe and Henderson, they are both very athletic players who will help the Blazers be a very tough team to stop in transition. Whereas Sharpe tends to play more off the ball and above the rim, Scoot is going to aid Simons as one of the team's lead facilitators, setting up his teammates for success with his flashy passing skills.
The future is certainly bright for this trio, but they will have a steep learning curve to get over the next few years. This is especially true since there are no veteran voices in the backcourt to help guide them.
Speaking of veteran voices, Holiday's future is still very much up in the air after being traded from the Bucks. After claiming he wants to retire in Milwaukee, the franchise repaid Jrue by trading him to Portland, only for him to once again hit the trade block. It should not come as a shock if Holiday is rerouted within the next 24-48 hours simply due to the fact that the Trail Blazers don't have a need for him.
A serviceable vet who can still immediately aid a championship contending franchise, Holiday is going to find success with whatever team he is on to begin the new season. The Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are all teams to watch for Holiday.
What the Damian Lillard trade means for the Suns
If you thought the Suns were done when they formed the NBA's newest “Big 3″ over the summer, then think again! Ayton played a huge role in helping Phoenix get to the 2021 NBA Finals and he's been one of the better big men in the league the last couple of seasons. However, his fit was questioned multiple times over the last year, especially after the Suns acquired Durant.
Given his contract size and the Suns' need for more depth, this seemed like the right opportunity to pull the trigger on a deal. Not to mention, Nurkic had been on this organization's radar in recent weeks due to the fact that he fits the style of play new head coach Frank Vogel is looking to implement.
Along with bringing in a reliable double-double threat like Nurkic, a player who will not complain about his role whatsoever, the Suns were also able to add depth in Nassir Little, Keon Johnson and especially Grayson Allen.
Phoenix has all the firepower they need on offense with their three stars, which is why adding shooting depth and players who can help make a difference defensively was vital. Allen is the picture-perfect 3-and-D player for this organization and he will be the team's sixth man. As for Little, it will be interesting to see what kind of role he carves out for himself.
In Portland, Little struggled to remain available due to some injuries. However, when he was on the floor, he showed flashes of his two-way prowess. His 7'2” wingspan allows him to be a factor defensively on or off the ball, plus he can run the floor really well in transition.
The Suns look every bit like a championship contender in the Western Conference. Like the Bucks in the East, they should undoubtedly be the favorites to come out of the West.
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