The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA world on Wednesday by trading for Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. The Bucks gave up Jrue Holiday, a 2029 unprotected first, and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Portland. They also sent Grayson Allen to the Suns as part of the three-team deal. The other big name in the trade is Suns center Deandre Ayton heading to Portland. You can read the full terms of the trade here. Overall, I believe this is a great trade for the Bucks. Here are three reasons why this is a home run trade.
Damian Lillard To The Milwaukee Bucks Brings Clutch Shotmaking
Lillard has made a career out of clutch shots. Whether it is in the regular season or in the playoffs, the point guard has hit big shots in big moments. This is something that the Bucks have been lacking. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a great player but isn’t known for his shot-making. One thing the Bucks lacked in the playoffs the past couple of years is a player who can come down and create a shot. Lillard provides instant offense as he scored 32.2 points a game last season. Holiday was a great defender but was not consistent with his shot. Lillard is an immediate upgrade on the offensive side of the ball.
This Trade Shows Giannis The Team Is All In
In today’s NBA, any team is one bad week away from their star player requesting a trade. The Bucks are trying to do everything they can in order to keep Giannis in Milwaukee. Like it or not, the team needs to show that they are willing to bring in great players for their star to play with. They did it once with the Holiday trade and now they did it again. While there is no guarantee that Giannis will stay long-term, I feel better about the prospect now that Lillard is in the fold.
The Team Didn’t Give Up A Lot
It hurts losing Holiday’s defense but I think the upgrade in offense makes the swap a wash. Grayson Allen is a nice player but the Bucks can find another Grayson Allen type somewhere. From a player perspective, that’s it! The Suns and the Blazers moved a lot of pieces but the Bucks kept a lot of their players. From a draft capital perspective, I personally do not care about draft picks especially those that are that far down the road. A lot can happen in six years.
Draft capital is also tricky to understand the value of. It could be anything which is what makes it so tantalizing. However, that draft pick could also be a dud who is out of the league in four years. What the Blazers are hoping for is that the Bucks stink seven years down the road and those picks become valuable. The loss of picks hurts but the team can also easily recoup picks down the road if things don’t work out.
Overall the Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks trade is a positive. It brings clutch shot-making without sacrificing immediate depth. The long-term assets given up are impossible to value now. For a team that has a clear window to win championships, this is a home run trade.
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