Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photographs
The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the basketball world Wednesday by reportedly buying All-Star guard Damian Lillard in a three-team commerce involving the Portland Path Blazers and Phoenix Suns.
In keeping with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks despatched All-Star guard Jrue Vacation, an unprotected 2029 first-round decide and unprotected decide swaps in 2028 and 2030 to the Blazers, and wing Grayson Allen to the Suns, whereas the Suns despatched heart Deandre Ayton and wing Toumani Camara to Portland.
The Blazers traded heart Jusuf Nurkic and forwards Keon Johnson and Nassir Little to Phoenix.
Since there hadn’t been a lot in the best way of rumors concerning Lillard going to Milwaukee whereas he was on the commerce block over the previous couple of months, many posters on X, previously referred to as Twitter, have been bowled over by the deal:
phil @rxhabszn
DAMIAN LILLARD AND GIANNIS ON THE BUCKS???? pic.twitter.com/DhNu8wLpP7
Each day Grind Fantasy Sports activities @DGFantasy
NBA Retweet @RTNBA
Damian Lillard and Giannis in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/t3bwMNGqMV
Alexis Morgan @alexismorgan
Damian Lillard: I solely wish to go to Miami.
Portland: pic.twitter.com/jcH3PGrw17
Austin Konenski @Austin_Konenski
I can not consider a star participant (Damian Lillard) lastly requested, “Miami and solely Miami,” and the Warmth could not commerce for him.
It is probably not Pat Riley and firm’s fault, the Path Blazers might have merely refused. Both means, a significant disappointment.
Advanced Sports activities @ComplexSports
Miami Warmth followers seeing Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo workforce up on the Bucks pic.twitter.com/712tKRUa7R
NOTSportsCenter @NOTSportsCenter
The Miami Warmth, presenting the Damian Lillard commerce to their followers pic.twitter.com/IXhFT1XOkw
HEAT NATION @Zachppp
I do not wish to hear concerning the Warmth buying a star play through commerce anymore
They’d absolutely the good situation with Damian Lillard and folded
Luca Rosano @lucarosano3
Raptors are the frontrunners for Kevin Durant and they do not get him. Raptors are the frontrunners for Damian Lillard and they do not get him. I am exhausted.
Shannon Sharpe Burner (Parody Account) @SSBKlutch
“Miami Warmth, raptors, suns, Knicks are all in for Dame Lillard”
Bucks: pic.twitter.com/it0pT6tjx0
When Blazers normal supervisor Joe Cronin introduced after the primary spherical of free company that Lillard has requested a commerce, ESPN Andscape’s Marc J. Spears reported that Dame’s desire was to get traded to the Miami Warmth.
As not too long ago as Tuesday, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange (h/t Jeff Smith of Sports activities Illustrated) reported that Miami was the “front-runner” for Lillard and was anticipated to land him in some unspecified time in the future.
That report got here someday after Spears reported the Toronto Raptors have been the favorites to accumulate Dame.
As an alternative, the 33-year-old Lillard goes to a Bucks workforce that received the NBA championship in 2021 and had the NBA’s finest file final season at 58-24.
Lillard is a seven-time All-Star who ranks 59th in NBA historical past with 19,376 profession factors.
Final season, accidents restricted Lillard to 58 video games, however he was dominant when he performed, averaging a career-high 32.2 factors per sport.
Lillard will be a part of forces with a two-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo, plus a one-time All-Star in heart Brook Lopez and a three-time All-Star in wing Khris Middleton.
If Lillard and the Bucks’ different high gamers can largely stay wholesome, Milwaukee must be thought-about the workforce to beat within the Jap Convention in 2023-24.
