The Damian Lillard era of the Portland Trail Blazers officially came to an end on Wednesday, with the team finally trading their longtime superstar to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal that also involved the Phoenix Suns.
The blockbuster trade sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, as the Bucks have gone from a great team to arguably the best team in the NBA and the favorite to win it all next season.
With the Bucks pulling off such a bold move and finally putting some superstar talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo, every pundit with a platform is chiming in on the deal and how they feel it will impact the league during the 2023-24 NBA season.
As expected, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was one of the many to share his opinion about the trade, as he believes the duo of Lillard and Antetokounmpo will be “lethal” moving forward, via NBA on ESPN.
"Lethal."@stephenasmith on Dame Lillard joining Giannis and the Bucks. pic.twitter.com/lfufWdTR92
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 27, 2023
Although these superstar pairings don’t always work in the NBA, as some scenarios have turned into disasters over the years, Lillard joining forces with Antetokounmpo is a game-changer for Milwaukee.
The Bucks will have arguably the most dynamic offense in the league with dominant forces on the perimeter as well as in the paint, which is precisely what Milwaukee needed to stay relevant moving forward, especially after Antetokounmpo put the team on notice about his intentions.
It’ll be interesting to see how everything pans out in Milwaukee and whether another championship is on the horizon for the franchise, as every team will be gunning for the new-look Bucks during the 2023-24 campaign.
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