DJ Khaled's pitch to Damian Lillard potentially included a promise of 4 rings and luxurious seafront mansion
Damian Lillard was pegged to join Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat all summer, only for a massive twist in the narrative that saw him head to the Milwaukee Bucks and play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. DJ Khaled believes he could have pitched Miami to 'Dame Time' and is confident that he could get the guard's talents to South Beach.
Speaking to Shannon Sharpe on his 'Club Shay Shay' podcast, 'Major Key' star Khaled had quite the sales pitch to make for Lillard, which had Sharpe in splits.
“Dame there is nothing to think about. Congratulations, you are gonna win 4 rings in a row. Do you want your house on the water? Or do you want it in the corner overlooking the whole ocean or do you want one overlooking the city?"
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Khaled added that the Heat have a few banners and have served as landing spots for some of the best players in the league such as Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, and LeBron James. He also had a witty quip asking Lillard to follow in James' footsteps where he could win a couple of championships and "go back after three to four years."
But as luck would have it, Lillard ended up in Milwaukee as part of a three-team trade that included the Phoenix Suns. Unless he wants to be out in a season or two, Miami will have to contend with their big three of Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro.
Damian Lillard and Milwaukee Bucks are yet to figure things out fully
The Milwaukee Bucks lost Jrue Holiday as part of the deal that roped in Damian Lillard, and the team's defense has taken a beating with the move. However, what they lost on the front, they gained in an offensive scoring machine in the former Blazers superstar. In his seven games so far, Lillard is averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
With new head coach Adrian Griffin leaning toward an offense-first approach, the Draciel-like defense of the Bucks is now heavily dependent on the likes of Antetokounmpo, Jae Crowder, and Brook Lopez.
In their eight games so far, the Bucks have still proved to be a force, winning five of those matchups. Last year, they were a more clinical unit, but it would be unfair to rub the side off early. It's still the time when teams tinker with multiple combinations and it's only a matter of time before the Damian Lillard-Antetokounmpo duo build that chemistry.