Woj: Damian Lillard Traded to the Bucks (Official)

[Donoghus]

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?

Pretty sure it was tongue in cheek.

[Celtics4ever]

Butler calling out the Bucks for tampering.

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

The Heat is one if not the worst tampering team

I think too, and agree with Ozgod,  this makes the Bucks a great offensive team but a much worse defensive team.  Middleton is old and battling injuries, Giannis is starting to have back issues and Lillard ain't going to beat father time.   Little guards never do.    I think we can still beat them quite handily.  Good luck with this it was an obvious let's keep Giannis happy move.

[CelticSooner]

This was a great move for a franchise about to lose a top 5 player otherwise. Bucks now have a legit closer which is something they struggled with before. Their defense will only get worse on the perimeter though.

Overall I think it’s something they had to do to try and get at least one more ring in Milwaukee. I would put them as favorites in the East on paper, just depends on how good the C’s defense is going to be next year. If Mazzulla thinks he can outscore everyone forget about a title.

[jpotter33]

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.

I don’t get the Nurkic move either. I think it was just as much about getting out of Ayton and adding some depth as it was for Nurkic himself.

[jpotter33]

This was a great move for a franchise about to lose a top 5 player otherwise. Bucks now have a legit closer which is something they struggled with before. Their defense will only get worse on the perimeter though.

Overall I think it’s something they had to do to try and get at least one more ring in Milwaukee. I would put them as favorites in the East on paper, just depends on how good the C’s defense is going to be next year. If Mazzulla thinks he can outscore everyone forget about a title.

I think there’s still some questions about fit. Dame is going to have to significantly change his game and play much more off the ball, as Giannis simply can’t. That’s going to be something to watch.

Also, this will really hurt them defensively. Dane is a turnstile defensively, and it’s only going to make paint penetration that much easier, allowing for even more open looks from three when they collapse in, which was already their weak spot.

[gouki88]

So is Durant Phoenix’s best defender?

Teams will be licking their lips at the thought of Nurkic & Beal/Booker in the PnR

[Who]

So is Durant Phoenix’s best defender?

Teams will be licking their lips at the thought of Nurkic & Beal/Booker in the PnR

Booker was their best defender in the postseason last year. He has surpassed Durant on D.

Then whoever starts at SF out of Okogie / Bates-Diop.

Durant in 3rd.

[scaryjerry]

I don't like the deal for the Bucks. Back court has 2 old guards that are often injured.

Cmon dude, really?
Such a homer take

[JSD]

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.

I don’t get the Nurkic move either. I think it was just as much about getting out of Ayton and adding some depth as it was for Nurkic himself.

Yeah that’s my thinking as well. Phoenix wanted to move on from Ayton, I think that’s pretty clear.

[LilRip]

Yikes! The Bucks have got themselves an even scarier team!

Tatum has to play even more like an MVP next season or the C’s won’t be able to overcome an (even more) motivated Giannis. At least Jrue won’t be there to play the lockdown defense on the perimeter anymore.

[cman88]

One thing to note is that Middleton is kind of washed. He's no longer all-star Middleton and is often hurt. But this makes them deadlier offensively. But hurts their defense

I think bucks and Celtics are kind of both equal. Maybe I'm wrong. I see a lot of people saying bucks are head and shoulders the top team in the east.

Alot of next year depends on how brown/Tatum develop again. If they take another jump and KP fits in nicely could be enough to put them over

[tazzmaniac]

One thing to note is that Middleton is kind of washed. He's no longer all-star Middleton and is often hurt. But this makes them deadlier offensively. But hurts their defense

I think bucks and Celtics are kind of both equal. Maybe I'm wrong. I see a lot of people saying bucks are head and shoulders the top team in the east.

Alot of next year depends on how brown/Tatum develop again. If they take another jump and KP fits in nicely could be enough to put them over

Assuming the new look Celts pull together as a team and stay healthy and the offense doesn't deteriorate into 3pt chucking, I think they are clearly ahead of the Bucks.  Lillard is a fringe top 10 player because of his stats not because he's shown himself to be a winner. 

[BitterJim]

One thing to note is that Middleton is kind of washed. He's no longer all-star Middleton and is often hurt. But this makes them deadlier offensively. But hurts their defense

I think bucks and Celtics are kind of both equal. Maybe I'm wrong. I see a lot of people saying bucks are head and shoulders the top team in the east.

Alot of next year depends on how brown/Tatum develop again. If they take another jump and KP fits in nicely could be enough to put them over

Assuming the new look Celts pull together as a team and stay healthy and the offense doesn't deteriorate into 3pt chucking, I think they are clearly ahead of the Bucks.  Lillard is a fringe top 10 player because of his stats not because he's shown himself to be a winner.

He brought the Blazers to the WCF in 2018-19 with basically no help besides CJ McCollum. I don't know how much more you expect from someone on a franchise like Portland.

[gouki88]

So is Durant Phoenix’s best defender?

Teams will be licking their lips at the thought of Nurkic & Beal/Booker in the PnR

Booker was their best defender in the postseason last year. He has surpassed Durant on D.

Then whoever starts at SF out of Okogie / Bates-Diop.

Durant in 3rd.

What?? Booker is absolutely not better than Durant, nor Okogie

[Vermont Green]

A lot of people are comparing MIL with Lillard to PHX but I see the comparable more to LAL.  LAL has LeBron and Davis, two players who when healthy can dominate.  Top 10, top 15, whatever.  Then the rest of the team isn't that great.

That is how I see MIL now.  They have Giannis and Lillard.  That 1-2 has as much talent as the LAL 1-2, but are actually more durable.  Injury and just wearing down is still a concern for MIL, but probably less than LAL.  I know MIL has Middleton and Lopez and Portis, but those players are not making a big impact.  Middleton has not been all that good for 2 or 3 seasons now.  The MIL supporting cast may be a little better than LAL, but I still see the teams as similar, they are big 2, not big 3 teams.

PHX is different now after the trade, they were able to move Ayton and get more depth but they still should be a true big 3 team, more like the Celtics.  DEN is really a big 2 team (Jokic and Murray).  Maybe big 2 is the new big 3.