The Portland Trail Blazers have finally let Damian Lillard go after he had been asking to go for a while. But instead of ending up with the Miami Heat as anticipated, he ended up with the Milwaukee Bucks, who also included the Phoenix Suns in a somewhat intricate three-way trade.
Before the 2023–2024 season, let’s reassess the aforementioned transfer agreement with The Sporting News and determine which team stands to earn the most.
Specifics of the trade for Damian Lillard that the Bucks acquired:
Damian Lillard Acquired Suns:
Jonathan Nurkic Grayson The Trail Blazers’ Allen Nasir Little Keon Johnson receives:
A. J. HolidayAyton Deandre Tumani Camara2029 first-round selectionRight to swap 2028 and 2030 first-round selections
Damian Lillard is acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks
The addition of Lillard will greatly enhance the Bucks’ offensive capabilities. They won the top spot in the Western rankings last season, but in terms of offensive ability, they were 15th in the entire NBA. With his 32.2 point per game average, Lillard can help them rectify their offensive and defensive imbalance.
Damian Lillard was among the NBA players with the greatest offensive influence during the previous season, according to some analytical statistics. This results from having strong breakthrough dribbling abilities, being able to shoot three points frequently, and, in situations where there is open space, being able to create for teammates.
Given that Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen are the team’s two best rim protectors, the Milwaukee Bucks will be taking a big chance if they lose both. But with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, they still have basketball security, and Damian Lillard’s arrival will require a trade-off for the 2021 NBA champion to be competitive again.
Trail Blazers of Portland: B+When Damian Lillard made it known that he only wanted to play for the Miami Heat, the Blazers were forced to take a backseat. This makes it challenging for them to locate partners in the transfer market as there’s no guarantee that Lillard would play to his full potential if his demands are not fulfilled.
Additionally, some teams will hesitate due to expensive salary long-term contracts that expire in 2027. The Bucks still hope to get Lillard, though, in order to bolster their hopes of winning a title. As a result, it might be said that the Blazers received a fair deal.
Henderson Coot Trail Blazers of Portland
With Lillard out of the picture, Scoot Henderson will get more playing time and opportunity to grow as a player. Thank you very much for the third-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Anfenee Simons seems unaffected by the rumor that the team has a better defense.
They acquired Jrue Holiday and DeAndre Ayton in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic. Young talent Ayton will be able to help the Blazers rebuild their team. Holiday is a seasoned combatant and among the NBA’s top rim protectors. If the Blazers choose to trade Jrue Holiday to another team, he may also be able to provide them with some deals in other situations.
In the future, the Portland Trail Blazers will also find some use for the NBA Draft selections of 2028, 2029, and 2030.
Phoenix Suns: B- The Suns need to add bench depth after acquiring Bradley Beal. Although Ayton’s departure was expected, their plans for the 2023–2024 season may be affected by the addition of Jusuf Nurkic, a gifted but prone to injuries player.
The only other player with a track record is Grayson Allen. With his steady defense, good scoring abilities, and no “trickery” in his game, Allen will be a valuable supporting member of the Phoenix Suns’ elite squad.