Woj: Damian Lillard Traded to the Bucks (Official)

[Who]

I don't like this trade at all for Phoenix. Bad move.

Nassir Little and Keon Johnson are non-NBA players. They are inconsequential. An open roster spot is more valuable than them - at least then you can sign someone useful. So this is a 2-for-1 of Nurkic & G Allen for D Ayton.

Nurkic is one of the slowest big men in the league. A dodgy defender with poor defensive versatility. Ayton was a strong athlete with high level defensive versatility. Nurkic is a major downgrade from Ayton.

Nurkic was developing that 3 ball last season. He will need that to help open up the offense to help make up for the downgrade defensively. Still, I'd rather have an athletic roll man like Ayton on that team. They have plenty of shooting and perimeter scoring already. Ayton can better exploit the space they create. Nurkic could also help with his passing.

Grayson Allen is a nice pickup but not worth the downgrade from Ayton to Nurkic. Phoenix already have a good alternative to G Allen in Damion Lee.

Nurkic's bad defense could be the difference between Phoenix succeeding or failing in the playoffs this season. They had plenty of offense already with Beal, Booker & Durant.

[Who]

I don't understand the value of either Ayton or Jrue for Portland. I like the future 1st round pick they got and the two pick swaps. I reckon they'd be better off with the cap space than Ayton given where they are in their rebuild. They can hopefully pickup another couple of assets / picks for Jrue which will help make this return look better.

I like Ayton as a finishing piece that can help push a team over the top but I don't like him as a building block in an early stage rebuild. He is too flawed to build around. Too light on impact. Too heavy on the paycheck.

Jrue at 34 years of age has no value to Portland other than as a trade asset.

Not impressed by the return for Lillard although the subsequent Jrue trade could win me over then.

I am not sure this is better than the Miami trade packages they were being offered. Multiple picks, multiple useful young players, good young rotation player in C Martin and cap flexability (assuming Herro switched to a 3rd team for picks).

[SHAQATTACK]

Poor cHeats

[Donoghus]

Poor cHeats

The amount of chirping Heat fans have been doing the past couple months assuming Dame to them was a done deal makes this somewhat sweet despite Dame going to one of Celtics’ biggest obstacles.

Heat fans are insufferable.

[SparzWizard]

Poor cHeats

The amount of chirping Heat fans have been doing the past couple months assuming Dame to them was a done deal makes this somewhat sweet despite Dame going to one of Celtics’ biggest obstacles.

Heat fans are insufferable.

Miami fans in general. They been on a roll lately. It's time cool down the Heat.

[SparzWizard]

Let Milwaukee be the favorite, because 1) the early favorite usually doesn't win it all, and 2) the Celtics tend to underperform when they're the favorites.

Totally cool with that. Last time C's was the favorites, they played liked dog-crap every series in the playoffs

I love the 2022 Celtics better. Play like they're out to murder a team. That Nets and Bucks series for example...winning those road games.

[hpantazo]

Brogdon, Horford & Pritchard for Holiday? Portland would probably waive Al & Pritchard is loved in Oregon

I would think they would want a few 1sts as well and Rob Williams too. Brogdon doesn't hold much appeal to Portland

[SHAQATTACK]

Poor cHeats

The amount of chirping Heat fans have been doing the past couple months assuming Dame to them was a done deal makes this somewhat sweet despite Dame going to one of Celtics’ biggest obstacles.

Heat fans are insufferable.

I’m in a better mental place with Dame in Milwaukee than Miami.  Our guys will just have work harder and Joe will have to step up with coaching.

[Who]

Portland Trail Blazers

G: Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons
G: Jrue Holiday
F: Shaedon Sharpe, M Thybulle
F: Jerami Grant
C: DeAndre Ayton

Not that bad of a team. Not a good team either.

I like the idea of that 3 man backcourt of Scoot, Jrue and A Simons. Lot of athleticism in that frontcourt with quick forwards and Ayton at center. They could cause problems for people. Not a cellar dweller. Should be a 30-33 win type team.

They could have 5 guys who are 20 point scorer threats with Scoot, Jrue, A Simons, J Grant and D Ayton. Good spread of threats. Hard to hone in one guy. Although Scoot would be the guy I would pick as the most dangerous given his ability to create opportunities for others.

Certainly no worse in the short term than where they were with Lillard and Nurkic.

[Birdman]

Bulls get Holiday & Kris Murray
Portland get Zach Lavine

Bulls have big 3 of Big V, DeRozen & Holiday
Portland have Zach to go along with Henderson, Simons, Sharpe, Grant & Ayton

[tenn_smoothie]

Let Milwaukee be the favorite, because 1) the early favorite usually doesn't win it all, and 2) the Celtics tend to underperform when they're the favorites.

Totally cool with that. Last time C's was the favorites, they played liked dog-crap every series in the playoffs

I love the 2022 Celtics better. Play like they're out to murder a team. That Nets and Bucks series for example...winning those road games.

They had a real coach then.

[ozgod]

I’m not so sure that Milwaukee isn’t better off with Holliday over Lillard but they just got a whole lot more dangerous offensively

My thoughts exactly...they got better offensively and have someone other than Middleton as a closer but defensively I think they're a lot worse.

[Donoghus]

Bulls get Holiday & Kris Murray
Portland get Zach Lavine

Bulls have big 3 of Big V, DeRozen & Holiday
Portland have Zach to go along with Henderson, Simons, Sharpe, Grant & Ayton

There were reports that Portland had no interest in Lavine during the Dame talks so I can’t imagine anything has changed now.

[radiohead]

Butler calling out the Bucks for tampering.

https://x.com/heatvshaters/status/1707103058201620957?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Have to say, don’t like that he landed in Milwaukee, but it’s downright hilarious that Miami fans talked so much crap all summer just to be left empty handed 😂

I wonder what he means by tampering here…i mean it’s a legit trade. It’s the off season and anybody could trade anyone. What is there to tamper with?

[radiohead]

Let Milwaukee be the favorite, because 1) the early favorite usually doesn't win it all, and 2) the Celtics tend to underperform when they're the favorites.

Totally cool with that. Last time C's was the favorites, they played liked dog-crap every series in the playoffs

I love the 2022 Celtics better. Play like they're out to murder a team. That Nets and Bucks series for example...winning those road games.

I agree. The Cs don’t handle being the “favorites” well.