5 reasons why Milwaukee Bucks will benefit from Damian Lillard trade
Considered to be one of the best scorers in the NBA today, Damian Lillard remains in a complicated situation ahead of the 2023-24 season. After spending 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, the seven-time all-star requested a trade out of Portland with his preferred team being the Miami Heat.
However, a final deal between Miami and Portland has not gone through with other teams showing interest in the acquisition of Lillard.
One of the teams that have surfaced in the trade conversations is the Milwaukee Bucks, as per ESPN's Marc Spears. The NBA Insider mentioned on ESPN's "NBA Today," that a pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo will instantly make them one of the best duos in the league.
This article will look into the five reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will benefit from the acquisition of Damian Lillard.
Five reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will benefit from the addition of Damian Lillard to the roster
#5. Provide an interesting dynamic with Jrue Holiday at the backcourt
With the possible addition of Damian Lillard to the roster, the Bucks will have an interesting backcourt tandem with Jrue Holiday. Both players can simultaneously take the burden of playmaking off of each other while working effortlessly to score the ball.
#4. More options for the Bucks' offense
In the scenario that Milwaukee lands Lillard, their projected lineup can look like this:
- Point Guard - Damian Lillard
- Shooting Guard - Jrue Holiday
- Small Forward - Khris Middelton
- Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Center - Brook Lopez
All five players have the ability to score on the court while also being able to space the floor out with four shooters stationed. The Bucks can envision fastbreaks being run through Antetokounmpo with four reliable options available.
#3. Another scoring threat alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
During the 2021 playoffs, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were both tough covers for the Phoenix Suns.
In that series, Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points per game (61.8% shooting, including 20.0% from 3-point range), 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Meanwhile, Middleton put up 24.0 ppg (44.8% shooting, including 35.6% from 3-point range), 6.3 rpg and 5.3 apg.
With the possible inclusion of Lillard, the Bucks will be adding another 20+ points per game scorer to play alongside Antetokounmpo and Middleton. This can prove even more pivotal in the postseason when the team will be needing all the offensive firepower they can have to go up against other elite teams.
#2. Pick-and-roll with Antetokounmpo
Running pick-and-roll action between Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo can prove to be a reliable offensive set for the Bucks. This can be experimented with throughout the regular season as both players are scoring threats on the court.
Through this pick-and-roll action, the Bucks can have a different offensive look on the court that can elevate the production of the other players.
#1. Draw attention from opponents' defenses
During the 2022-23 season, Lillard averaged 32.2 ppg (46.3% shooting, including 37.1% from 3-point range) and 7.3 apg. A player of his caliber easily draws a lot of attention from the defenses of rival teams.
This facet of Lillard's game can open up the Milwaukee Bucks' offense further by enhancing the on-court production of the other players on the roster.
With Damian Lillard's impeccable scoring ability, defenders will easily hone in their efforts to slow him down, which would open up different looks for the Bucks' offense.