WOW. Did that really just happen? That actually just happened. Damian Lillard has reportedly been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
From the start with Lillard’s trade demand, it seemed like the Heat were the team waiting at the end of the tunnel. That’s where he wanted to go. It’s very clear that Miami had an interest in him. Obviously, though, things never materialized.
And now we’re here. Damian Lillard is a Milwaukee Buck, the Miami Heat still don’t have a point guard, and the rest of the NBA is in shambles.
Let’s go through the winners and losers of this blockbuster deal.
Winner: The Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee did it, man. The Bucks managed to quell the storm that was brewing around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Their star clearly put a bit of pressure on them this offseason saying that he might not return if he didn’t see the Bucks make a major move. So what’d they do? Take the biggest swing of the offseason.
That’s how you do it, man. Giannis is almost certainly going to re-sign, Lillard is under contract until 2026 and they’ve now got a solid top three in Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton.
This is a championship contender immediately.
Winner: Giannis Antetokounmpo
What was clear from the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round exit was that there wasn’t enough reliable shot creation to go around without Antetokounmpo.
A healthy Khris Middleton changes that, sure. But he hasn’t been healthy in two seasons. That’s not something the Bucks — or Antetokounmpo — can rely on now. That’s why the Bucks’ star gave his team a quasi-ultimatum this offseason. Improve or I’m out.
The Bucks improved. Now he has a reason to sign an extension and remain a Buck for the remainder of his prime years.
Winner: Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton clearly wasn’t happy with his role in Phoenix over the years. Even under new leadership with Monty Williams gone, he needed a change of scenery.
He wanted to be more of a feature in Phoenix, but that role just wasn’t going to be available for him while playing with two ball-dominant superstars in Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Then the Suns added Kevin Durant to that mix and that ship had sailed.
This trade gives Ayton that aforementioned change of scenery. He’ll get a feature role in Portland alongside Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. He won’t be competing for a championship, but he’ll probably be in a much better spot to prove to the NBA that he’s a top-tier big man in the league.
Winner: Damian Lillard
I know, I know. Lillard had been pushing for Miami for so long. And, look. Milwaukee isn’t that. That’s no secret.
But, more than the nice beaches and Miami sunsets, Lillard wanted to go somewhere where he could win games. No, not just win games — win championships. He’s now going to play with one of the best three players in the league. With all due respect to the Celtics, the Bucks will probably be the favorites in the East this season after this deal.
It’s not what Lillard wanted, but it’s exactly what he needed. This is a huge win for him.
Idk?: The Phoenix Suns
Honestly, I’m not totally sure what to make of the Phoenix Suns here. I don’t think the team got better with this trade — in fact, they’re probably a bit worse off defensively.
But the thing is the Suns needed to move on from Ayton. He’s a better player than Jusuf Nurkic at this point in his career, but he’s also a more expensive player. And having Ayton and his four-year, $133 million contract playing a bit role for a team that should be a championship contender was just not going cut it.
Nurkic’s health is a big question. He’s a bit older now and less mobile than he used to be. But he can still be a very good player on a contending team. He doesn’t need the ball to play well and he’s willing to do the dirty work.
Plus, the Suns got a bit more depth on the wing with Grayson Allen coming from the Bucks and Nassir Little coming from the Trail Blazers. All in all, Phoenix got what it needed. That’s what matters.
Loser: The Miami Heat
I cannot say enough about the Miami Heat’s failure here.
This team has haggled with the Trail Blazers over Lillard for weeks at this point. It’s obvious Miami thought it had the All-Star guard in the bag considering the fact that he did make it so public that that’s where he wanted to play next season.
The Blazers weren’t settling for just any package, though. Miami reportedly offered a package that included just a couple of first-round picks and Tyler Herro with no third team seemingly involved. Clearly, that wasn’t enough. Instead of upping that, Miami held firm. The Heat paid for it here with the Bucks swooping in.
Now, Miami has lost its starting point guard from last season with Gabe Vincent going to the Lakers. The free agency market is cooled and the season is about to start. Now the Heat have to scramble.
This is not a spot any team wants to be in.
Loser: The rest of the NBA
Let’s just start here with the fact that the rest of the NBA has to deal with Lillard-Antetokounmpo pick and rolls now. That’s not going to be fun to guard for anyone.
You’ve also got the Eastern Conference that now has a juggernaut to deal with. The Celtics and 76ers — with Harden available — are both really good. This deal easily catapults the Bucks to the top of the conference, though.
But, even beyond that, Giannis is probably off the board now as a potential free agent moving into the 2025-26 season. He’ll likely sign an extension with Milwaukee and play his prime out as a Buck. The NBA was bracing itself for him to hit the market. Now he won’t.
This move changes the future of the league in a major way. So many teams have to be upset about that right now.
