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Milwaukee Bucks shift Eastern Conference landscape with surprise Damian Lillard trade

cameron tabatabaie
·3 min read
2

Veteran point guard Damian Lillard is headed to the Eastern Conference, but he will not be joining the Miami Heat. According to multiple reports, the Milwaukee Bucks are trading for Lillard instead, pairing the seven-time All-Star with former MVP Giannis Antentokounmpo. The full deal is a three-team transaction that also includes the Phoenix Suns.

Milwaukee will bring aboard the 33-year-old Lillard in the trade. In return, Portland will receives Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 first-round Bucks pick, and two pick swaps. Phoenix will land Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, and Grayson Allen.

This is a seismic move by the Bucks, and comes just a few weeks after Antetkounmpo signaled a bit of disconnect with the franchise. Now Milwaukee has two of the most formidable players in the league on the books. How does this effect the Eastern Conference landscape?

Milwaukee’s offensive ceiling likely just took a big leap. Holiday and Allen were key parts of the Bucks scoring attack, but Lillard is a transformational weapon. Lillard averaged 31.9 points per game last season, including 4.2 3-pointers and 7.2 assists a night. Alongside Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks, Lillard could be the focal point of the most formidable offense in the East.

Defensively this is a big gamble for Milwaukee. Lillard is a very big downgrade from Holiday at this position. Last year the Bucks, when healthy, had an incredibly well-rounded and dynamic defense. Lillard could be a big liability here.

This is an all-in move for the Bucks. It could help Milwaukee’s title hopes this season, but moving forward creates serious pitfalls. Antetokounmpo could still look to move on in a few seasons, leaving the Bucks on the hook for owed draft capital and a lot of money owed to an aging Lillard.

As far as this season goes, this changes the calculus for the Boston Celtics. Milwaukee already figured to be one of Boston’s chief competitors in the East, and now appears to have turned up the gas. Pray to the basketball gods these teams meet in the postseason.

This trade has further implications in the East, too. The Miami Heat, long said to be Lillard suitors, are suddenly looking less frisky. The Philadelphia 76ers, meanwhile, will no doubt seek a similar haul for disgruntled star James Harden.

The Bucks just pushed all their chips in the middle of the table. Hold on to your butts.

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire