By Pranav Parlapall

For years, fans have been wanting Damian Lillard to leave the Portland Trailblazers and join another team where he could have the potential to win a championship. There has been plenty of speculation on whether or not Dame was going to leave Portland, but no information regarding his trade was ever released to the public until July 1st, 2023 when Lillard requested to be traded from the Trail Blazers to the Miami Heat. However, 3 days ago Damian was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Bucks. 

Dame is one of the greatest 3-point shooters of all time with his incredible ability to shoot from the deepest spots on the court. He shot an amazing 37% from the three-point line and has been part of the best shooters in the league since his rookie year. Dame played fantastic with the Trail Blazers, averaging 25 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds per game; along with his appearance in seven all-star games and winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. While he did remarkably well, the rest of the Trail Blazers didn’t provide much help – which is the primary reason for Dame’s trade.

The Bucks acquiring Dame means they had to send out a player to the Trail Blazers, and that was their point guard and shooting guard, Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen. Jrue is one of the best defenders, if not the best defender in the league and has made the All-Defensive first team 3 times and the All-Defensive second time 2 times. Grayson Allen was the Buck’s best shooter shooting 40% from the three-point line and averaging 2 threes per game. Although Allen had an amazing shooting ability, it will never top Dame’s incredible 3-point shooting. Grayson Allen for Dame is a great trade that will significantly improve the Bucks, but by trading Jrue Holiday, they’re giving up their best defender and may lack on the defensive side of the game. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the star player for the Milwaukee Bucks is also an elite defender who has won Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, so they’re still holding a solid defense.

The starting lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks will most likely be Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jae Crowder, Kris Middleton, and Brook Lopez. Looking at this lineup, the Bucks are expected to play better than they did last year, in the regular season. Milwaukee finished off with a 58-24 record in the 2022-2023 season but unfortunately lost to the Miami Heat. In the final game between Milwaukee and Miami, the Bucks had possession of the ball and needed two points to force overtime, but they were not able to score and were eliminated from the playoffs. However, with Dame on their roster, they now have an extreme clutch player who has had multiple game-winning shots in the regular season and playoffs. In 2019, he once sent the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs from a near half-court shot at the buzzer. Milwaukee now has an elite shooter and playmaker which will greatly improve their team’s performance. Dame’s work ethic and confidence has influenced many of the top players and there is no doubt it will impact the players on the Bucks. Dame being traded to the Bucks will not only build an incredibly skilled team but will also enhance the mental performance of every single player. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the league and acquiring Dame will only make him better, but how would they work together? Giannis is a fearless finisher and lockdown defender with incredible athleticism. Dame is an unbelievable shooter and pulls up from anywhere on the court— he has even been nicknamed “Logo Lillard.” With Lillard’s shooting and Antetokounmpo’s finishing and defending, they will be an unstoppable duo. However, for the duration of Dame’s career, he hasn’t been able to win a championship. Giannis has been in one NBA finals and managed to win the championship over the Phoenix Suns in the 2020-2021 season. Dame has never qualified for the finals and only one time made it to the semifinals where Portland lost 4-0 to the Golden State Warriors. Regardless, there is no doubt that Dame being traded to the Bucks will significantly improve the team.

The Bucks will be dominating the league for a very long time. Their chances of winning a championship or qualifying for the finals will also increase as they are bringing in one of the star players of the NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks will definitely be a better team with Dame’s trade and their game performance will be highly improved.