Everyone is talking about Wednesday’s stunning NBA trade that is sending Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks after he had asked the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him early this summer.
He had adamantly stated that he wanted to go to the Miami Heat, who are coming off their second trip to the NBA Finals in four seasons, but he will likely find himself in an even better situation now.
He will team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the world championship in 2021, as well as a strong supporting cast, and the two future Hall of Famers can help each other reach greater heights.
Nick Wright says that another ring would put the Greek Freak ahead of Kevin Durant, Moses Malone, and Isiah Thomas in NBA history.
At the same time, he feels Lillard winning it all alongside Antetokounmpo would make him one of the 35 greatest players ever and possibly put him ahead of Clyde Drexler, Steve Nash, and Allen Iverson, via “First Things First.”
“With a title, Giannis moves ahead of Durant in the Top 50 players of the last 50 years. … If Dame wins a championship, and is awesome, I think he joins the Top 35.”
— @getnickwright on what a title would mean for Giannis & Dame’s legacies: pic.twitter.com/Hq5Wr4Hs38
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) September 27, 2023
Antetokounmpo is someone who may have a shot at ending up as one of the 10-15 greatest players ever when it’s all said and done since he’s also a force on the defensive end, in addition to all his talents on offense.
He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020 in addition to that season’s MVP, and he has made five All-Defensive teams in the last seven seasons.
Lillard has been an amazing scorer over the years, as well as a strong facilitator and table-setter, and he will now have the opportunity of a lifetime to validate all he has done individually since entering the NBA in 2012.
If the Bucks do win it all, some may decide to not give Lillard his due because of the circumstances, but it should be remembered that they lost in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in five games, and in the second round the year prior.
