The Bucks have landed Damian Lillard in a three-team trade with the Blazers and the Suns, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting.
“Portland will receive Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee’s 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick, and unprotected Milwaukee swap rights in 2028 and 2030, sources told Wojnarowski,” he wrote.
“The Suns will receive Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson, sources told Wojnarowski.”
It has been almost three months since Lillard requested to be traded from Portland.
He leaves the franchise after 11 seasons in which he made seven All-Star and All-NBA teams, plus led the franchise to the playoffs a total of eight times.
Lillard himself took to X to address his fans and let the Bucks know he’s excited to part of the franchise.
“The casuals won’t be addressed but the trailblazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be … and they will be addressed truthfully. Stay tuned
“Excited for my next chapter! @Bucks”
The casuals won’t be addressed but the trailblazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be … and they will be addressed truthfully. Stay tuned
Excited for my next chapter! @Bucks 🎟️
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) September 27, 2023
33-year-old Lillard is coming off a career year, where he averaged averaging 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists on 46.3 percent shooting from the field.
The trade will put Milwaukee right up there as championship contenders by having two superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard as his co-star.
The betting markets are already tipping the Bucks as favorites to win the title this upcoming 2023-2024 season.
Milwaukee now have a host of veteran players like Giannis, Lillard, Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis, who will no doubt have one goal in mind.
Giannis has spoken a lot this offseason about everyone on the Bucks being on the same page and gunning for a championship, so it seems as though the front office heeded his call.
Although Dame wanted to be traded to Miami, at least he has landed at another highly competitive team and not Toronto.