Trade Grades: Damian Lillard To Milwaukee
It finally happened. Damian Lillard has been traded. Well, except for the part where he didn’t totally get his desired landing spot. Lillard has been sent to Milwaukee in a mega three-way and it’s time to hand out some trade grades. Which team got the better end of this deal? Let’s talk about it.
Milwaukee Bucks: Acquires Damian Lillard
Grade: B+
I lowkey don’t like the trade. Milwaukee was such a great defensive team and a lot of the elbow grease is now gone. Taking away Holiday’s on-ball defense is going to matter more than you think. If the Bucks wanted to upgrade this team, they should have done this same trade except found a better wing than Khris Middleton. I would have sent him out first. I also don’t want any part of Lame Time. Guy has rocks for brains. Thinks Westbrook is good and bashed the Warriors because he would rather be miserable.
With that said, you can’t blame Milwaukee for taking the shot here. The window is now and adding Lillard to a team that already has Giannis speaks for itself. Giannis and Lillard could do wonders in the two man game with Lillard stroking clutch outside shots. The Bucks are betting odds favorites to win the title now and it’s hard to totally argue against it. They’re in the mix and that’s all you can hope for if you’re a fan in small market Milwaukee.
Portland Trail Blazers: Acquires Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 unprotected MIL 1st, and unprotected MIL swap rights in 2028 and 2030 to Blazers
Grade: A-
So much for that part where Jrue Holiday wanted to spend the rest of his career in Milwaukee. Less than 24 hours after that news came out, he’s the headliner of the Lillard trade. The Holiday+ package seems like a pretty good alternative to whatever the Heat were offering with table scraps.
Holiday is the same age as Lillard and is an ace defender. A three-man guard unit of Holiday, Scoot, and Simons is pretty good, huh? Portland will still have to figure out what to do with Holiday long term but I don’t see why they can’t flip him for more pieces if that’s the road they need to go down. Holiday has a player option next year for big money that he will likely accept so there is some contractual control here. That part is good for Portland.
I also like the idea of doing this deal with Milwaukee. If this thing crumbles and the core gets old, this Bucks team could be terrible in 2028 and 2030. That’s a long way away. I’d say it’s probably more likely the Bucks stink than not by that time. That’s a team that’s all in. Good chance those swaps come in hand.
Also, the Blazers totally stole Ayton. I’m not an Ayton guy but how do you not take the shot on him at this rate? Portland got out from one of the worst contracts in the league and were able to swap him for a former number one overall pick. I’m not an Ayton guy but he’s talented and can score. To be able to swap him for Nurkic in this deal is stealing. It’s such a buy low that you have to give them credit for taking Ayton. He’s 25 and averaged 18 and 10 last year. They got that guy for one of the worst players in the league.
Good job Portland.
Phoenix Suns: Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson
Grade: F
I hate this deal for the Suns. I understand wanting out of Ayton. Until the guy gets slapped he’s never going to figure it out. But you can’t give him away for this. There are better players suiting up for the Shanghai Sharks than whatever Nurkic can provide. Grayson Allen stinks. Maybe there is hope for Nassir Little?
To turn Ayton into a bunch of trash is really bad man.
Miami Heat: Grade…
That’s all that needs to be said.
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