Grading the Milwaukee Bucks’ shocking acquisition of Damian Lillard
By Corey Moen
The Milwaukee Bucks have made a trade that has shocked the NBA landscape.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a three-team deal on Wednesday. This move immediately makes Milwaukee the favorite to win the title this season. The team needed to add a point guard who would not only help them compete for a championship but a go-to guy in the fourth quarter.
What the Milwaukee Bucks traded for in the Damian Lillard deal
This is the second time in franchise history the Bucks have made a league-changing move. The first was before the 1970-71 season when the team acquired Oscar Robertson from the then-Cincinnati Royals. Robertson teaming up with Kareem Abdul-Jabaar helped the Bucks capture their first title in 1971. This move is the same as the one made 52 years ago because Lillard gives Giannis Antetokounmpo a running mate similar to what Robertson provided for Abdul-Jabbar over 50 years ago. This trade is rare for a multitude of reasons.
Two of Milwaukee’s greatest players (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo) have been homegrown. Those two carried the franchise for the bulk of their tenures, but there is one similarity: they needed another elite player to help them win. Giannis and Khris Middleton, two years ago, were considered Batman and Robin, but with Middleton’s injury history over the past two seasons, that was no longer a duo that could be relied on to win another championship for the franchise.
Adding Lillard, Milwaukee is getting an elite shot-maker, one of the greatest shooters in NBA History, and a player who will help Milwaukee win championships once again.
The past two seasons for Lillard haven’t gone the way he wanted to, but now not only does he get a change of scenery, but he’s reuniting with his old head coach; Terry Stotts, who was hired as an assistant coach for the Bucks this offseason.