Few NBA stars know Damian Lillard as well as CJ McCollum does. Together, they formed a formidable duo that struck fear into the hearts of opponents of the Portland Trail Blazers for years.

So when the trade that sent Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks was announced, McCollum was among the first to comment on it. He even explained why this move might be a more favorable scenario than being traded to the Miami Heat, as reported by Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/Oregon Live.

“Miami would have been great for him, and that’s where he wanted to go. But you could argue that this is a better situation in terms of winning a championship than Miami,” CJ McCollum said about Damian Lillard’s trade.

In addition to praising Giannis Antetokounmpo as an ideal partner for Lillard, McCollum also took into account factors such as the weather and tax conditions for his former Blazers teammate. However, he, like any dedicated NBA observer, recognizes that the pairing in the Bucks’ system offers greater potential than a potential Heat partnership.

McCollum delved further into how this new duo could strike fear into the league: “No disrespect to Jimmy and Bam, and that organization, and that roster, but Giannis is different. That’s a different guy to play alongside in terms of his dominance. There’s not another guy in the league that dominates the way he does. He’s just the guy that’s really, really hard to guard.”

What Lillard may lack, Antetokounmpo brings to the table, and vice versa. They form a well-rounded duo with minimal overlap in their skill sets. Moreover, they are one of the most formidable ball-handler and roll man combinations in the history of the NBA.