Giannis Antetokounmpo foreshadowed Damian Lillard team-up 7 months before Trail Blazers star's blockbuster Bucks move
Damian Lillard is now going to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this coming 2023-24 season. But this isn't the first time the two superstars have teamed up in their careers. Back in the 2023 NBA All-Star game, Antetokounmpo was the opposing captain to LeBron James. While James believed Antetokounmpo would pick his teammate Jrue Holiday, to his surprise he was wrong.
Antetokounmpo drafted Damian Lillard as his first pick in the 2023 All-Star game. This caught LeBron James and other superstars by surprise considering that Antetokounmpo typically values loyalty. Well, it appears that the Milwaukee Bucks have manifested the energy Antetokounmpo gave out toward Lillard last season and have acquired the former Portland Trail Blazers star as their new star point guard.
How will the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard affect the league?
Despite already being 33 years old, Damian Lillard is still one of the most elite point guards in the NBA today. Last season, Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points alongside 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. With those kinds of numbers under his belt, the Milwaukee Bucks now look like an even scarier team than before.
The same as Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo also averaged a career-high in points with 31.1 points per game last season. On paper, the newly formed duo should wreak havoc in the league with ease. However, there's always chemistry to consider given how Khris Middleton is also part of the equation.
For a while now, Antetokounmpo and Middleton have been Milwaukee's main attraction. With Lillard entering the picture, this could cause some minor issues in terms of ball rotation. Fortunately, while "Dame" is known to be a scoring point guard, he isn't unnecessarily a selfish player. Having said that, Lillard could be willing to adjust to a new role for his team's success.
Despite adjustments potentially becoming a hindrance to Milwaukee, that doesn't mean they're to be counted out. The moment Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton find their rhythm as a trio, they might be a deadlier threat compared to the Phoenix Suns' new big three composed of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.