Trail Blazers Trade Damian Lillard to Bucks in a High-Stakes 3-Team Swap
Trail Blazers Trade Damian Lillard to Bucks in a High-Stakes 3-Team Swap
The Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns, and the Portland Trail Blazers have finalized a significant three-team trade deal that sends star guard Damian Lillard to Milwaukee to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo. This momentous transaction was officially announced by the teams on Wednesday.
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As part of the trade, Portland acquires Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee’s unprotected first-round draft pick in 2029, and the rights to swap picks with Milwaukee in 2028 and 2030, as outlined in the teams’ joint statement.
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Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns gain Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson in exchange for their part in the trade package.
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Sources have informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Trail Blazers are likely to engage in trade discussions with other contending teams to potentially move Jrue Holiday, indicating further changes may be on the horizon.
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This deal materializes several months after Damian Lillard formally requested a trade in early July, while the Trail Blazers chose a patient approach to negotiations.
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Lillard departs from Portland after a remarkable 11-season tenure, during which he earned seven All-Star selections, numerous All-NBA honors, and guided the franchise to eight playoff appearances, including a Western Conference finals run in 2018-19. He stands as the franchise’s all-time leader in both points and three-pointers and ranks second in assists.
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Lillard expressed his excitement for the next chapter in a social media post on Wednesday.
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Despite being 33 years old, Lillard had a career-best season last year, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists but was limited to just 58 games due to a month-long absence. His standout moment came on February 26 when he scored an astounding 71 points against the Houston Rockets.
Bucks President Peter Feigin and General Manager Jon Horst conveyed their enthusiasm, stating that bringing a seven-time All-Star like Damian Lillard to a team with lofty aspirations is a rare opportunity that they eagerly pursued.
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Lillard’s 32.2 points per game marked the highest by a player changing teams the following season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Horst emphasized Lillard’s character, competitiveness, talent, and experience as attributes that would complement the Bucks and enhance their chances of achieving success at the highest level.
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Despite Lillard’s impressive statistics, Portland failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season, a first in his career. The Blazers retained their draft picks in both seasons, most recently selecting guard Scoot Henderson as the No. 2 overall pick. Lillard’s trade request followed shortly thereafter.
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Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin expressed gratitude to Damian Lillard for his remarkable 11-year tenure with the franchise, acknowledging his contributions both on the court and in the community. He praised Lillard as a titan and a true trailblazer for the city of Portland.
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Following the trade, the Milwaukee Bucks emerged as the consensus favorites to win the NBA title, with odds of around 4-1 at U.S. sportsbooks. Prior to the trade, Milwaukee had been ranked fourth in the favorites list, trailing the defending champion Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and the Suns.
