Last offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA world by acquiring All-NBA guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade.
At the time, Lillard’s desire to move on from Portland was well-documented. However, the expectation was always that he would end up with the Miami Heat. Regardless, Milwaukee pulled the trigger and landed him to pair alongside former champion and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In the process, the Bucks sent veteran guard Jrue Holiday to Portland, who eventually sent him to the Boston Celtics. Holiday played a major role on the Celtics roster and helped them win their first championship since 2008. While the Celtics won it all after a dominant season, the Bucks had three head coaches during the year, ended the season with a 49-33 record, and entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Ultimately, Milwaukee was eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games in the first round. However, it is important to note that Antetokounmpo missed the entire series due to a calf injury.
Although the potential is there, it is fair to call the Lillard-Antetokounmpo era of the Bucks a bit disappointing after one season. Regardless, Bucks GM Jon Horst has made it clear that he does not regret the trade (subscription required).
“We’ve talked about this a little bit in some of the other media sessions that I’ve had, but I agree. And I don’t apologize for it. I think it’s just the nature of our business. We had an offseason. We built a team, and then we had an incredible opportunity to acquire an NBA All-75th Anniversary team, top-75 player and pair him with another NBA All-75th Anniversary team, top-75 player late in the offseason and we did it.”
Earlier in the offseason, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported that the Bucks could trade big man Brook Lopez. O’Connor mentioned that the Bucks wanted to change their defensive style next season, making Lopez an odd man out. However, Horst recently said that he has “zero intentions” of trading the 36-year-old.
Lopez has spent the last six seasons of his career in Milwaukee. In that time, he has averaged 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. With Milwaukee, Lopez made it to two All-Defensive Teams and finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
Despite the disappointing season, the Bucks should remain in title contention for the foreseeable future. In his first year with the team, Lillard averaged 24.3 points and 7 assists per game. Additionally, he shot 42.4% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. Though these numbers are dropoffs from his final year in Portland, he showcased his value to Milwaukee. The trade was a risk at the time, but it is too early to call it a mistake
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