The Milwaukee Bucks are in desperate need of roster changes after their disappointing end to the 2023-24 NBA season. Of course, “disappointing” could be the word used to describe the Bucks’ season as a whole. After firing Mike Budenholzer, who helped bring a NBA Championship to Milwaukee for the first time in 50 year, Adrian Griffin was supposed to get Milwaukee back on track. Instead, he ended up fired himself midway through the season.
In the same way, trading the ever-popular Jrue Holiday for perennial All-Star Damian Lillard was supposed to elevate the Bucks back into title contention. Unfortunately, that did not happen either. Milwaukee floundered towards the end of the season and Giannis Antetokounmpo got hurt, missing the entire series against the Indiana Pacers.
Now, the Bucks face another challenging offseason and questions about how best to build their roster. While it is obvious that their best chances of winning lie in Giannis and Lillard developing more chemistry and spending an entire offseason together, there are some who think the Bucks would be better off trading their star point guard.
NBA Analyst Suggests the Milwaukee Bucks Trade Damian Lillard to the Orlando Magic

In a recent article posted by Fadeaway World, NBA analyst Fran Leiva suggests that the Bucks send Lillard to the Orlando Magic, one of the up-and-coming teams in the Eastern Conference, in return for several players and first round draft picks:
Magic receive: Damian Lillard
Bucks receive: Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Wagner, 2024 No. 18 pick, 2026 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick
“Damian Lillard could be the perfect fit for Orlando. Lillard’s leadership, clutch performance, and scoring ability would provide the stability and experience needed to complement Banchero and Franz Wagner. The Magic have been linked to free agents like Klay Thompson and Paul George, highlighting their desire to add a veteran star to their roster. Adding Lillard would fulfill this need while aligning with their strategy of building a competitive team around their young stars.
“On the other hand, the Bucks would benefit significantly from this trade. By acquiring Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Wagner, the 2024 No. 18 pick, and two future first-round picks, Milwaukee would gain a mix of immediate contributors and valuable assets for the future. Cole Anthony has shown promise as a dynamic guard, while Jonathan Isaac, despite his injury history, offers tremendous defensive potential and versatility. Mo Wagner provides depth and size in the frontcourt.”
While the prospect of adding two first round picks (the Bucks have sent most of theirs away or have swapped them with other teams) is intriguing, this seems like a trade that benefits Orlando more than it does Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Bucks Are Not Trading Damian Lillard

Milwaukee brought Lillard to the Bucks for one reason: to win an NBA Championship. While it ended up being Holiday who won another one first, that does not change the Bucks’ goal: to win multiple titles while they still have Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Moving on from Holiday in favor of Lillard was a bold move, but one that showed that the Bucks are serious about always being in contention for a title. This is what is most important to Giannis, the undisputed best player on the team. If the Bucks were to trade Lillard, the two-time NBA MVP would likely see it as a deviance from their pursuit of excellence, and may request a trade himself.
As frustrating as the 2023-24 season was, there were also good things to build upon. The developing game between Giannis and Lillard is one of them.
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