I think everyone and their mother has discussed at one point or another Damian Lillard coming to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Things have definitely amped up within the last few months as Lillard is on the trade market and has requested that the Portland Trail Blazers allow him to go somewhere else. Miami has been the top of Lillard’s wish list, but maybe coming to the 414 wouldn’t be a bad idea..
Per Marc J. Spears, Sr. NBA Writer, the Milwaukee Bucks have allegedly had conversations with the Trail Blazers about a possible trade involving Lillard. Spears also said that teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, and Philadelphia Sixers have also inquired about a Lillard trade.
Milwaukee Bucks Trade Candidates
Training camp is right around the corner, which means the Bucks will have to start solidifying their starting lineup. With Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jrue Holiday already for-sures on the lineup, who will play behind them is a big question. Additionally, who will be on the trading block for the Bucks ahead of this season is also a big question mark.
Grayson Allen
It’s no secret that the Bucks have worked on prioritizing shooters around Giannis over the years to build a strong scoring team on the floor that usually was successful. Grayson Allen has been in trade discussions all summer and even during the season for Milwaukee and maybe it’s time for the Bucks to look into trading Allen away.
Allen started in 70 games last season, averaging 10.4 points per game while hitting just 40% of his three-point attempts. His 114 defensive rating was the literal worst among Bucks starters in 2023. Milwaukee just signed Robin Lopez and Malik Beasley to one-year contracts for the upcoming season, and players like Beasley have been able to be a more defensive role-player and provide that sense of backup that Allen lacks. Teammates like Pat Connaughton and AJ Green provide plenty of offensive production, so moving on from Allen wouldn’t be a huge loss for the team.
Pat Connaughton
I know I just gave praise to Connaughton when talking about trading Allen away, but, trading Connaughton away wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Bucks.
While Connaughton has established himself as a fan favorite in Milwaukee, being the fan-favorite isn’t going to make you a better basketball player in the long run. However, all things must come to an end and maybe it’s time that the Bucks start exploring the avenue of trading Connaughton.
At 30-years-old, Pat Connaughton is coming off of arguably his worst shooting season in his Bucks career. He hit 33.9 percent of his three-point attempts and was shooting under 40 percent overall. Though, he’s been a huge part in the Bucks postseason success, he’s proven to be one of the team’s more valuable trade pieces. But, when you break it down financially, his salary makes him an easier trade.
The Bucks recently re-signed Connaughton to a three-year deal worth $9M each year, but they could look to pick up a younger player to be off the bench while parting ways with Pat-Pat.
Final Thoughts
While having Damian Lillard on the Bucks roster would be a dream, I fear that’s all it will be. Being able to have both Giannis and Lillard on the same team would make Milwaukee look unstoppable, and it would give Giannis an elite partner to play alongside. There certainly are other trade candidates the Bucks should look into acquiring, but Lillard would probably be the slam dunk of the summer and possible season.
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