According to sources within the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers have finalized a three-team trade that will see them send their All-NBA guard, Damian Lillard, to the Milwaukee Bucks.
In exchange for Damian Lillard, the Blazers will acquire Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, the Bucks’ 2029 first-round draft pick, as well as the option to swap draft picks with the Bucks in 2028 and 2030.
Additionally, the Phoenix Suns will be acquiring Jusuf Nurkic, Nassar Little, Keon Johnson, and Grayson Allen as part of this multi-faceted trade.
The agreement materialized several months after Damian Lillard officially expressed his desire to be traded in early July, as the Trail Blazers chose to adopt a deliberate and cautious strategy in handling the negotiations.
After spending 11 seasons in Portland, Damian Lillard departs, leaving behind an impressive legacy. During his tenure, he earned seven All-Star selections, made it to seven All-NBA teams, and guided the franchise to the playoffs on eight occasions. Notably, the team reached the Western Conference finals in the 2018-19 season. Lillard holds the top spot in the franchise’s history for both points scored and three-pointers made, and he ranks second in assists.
Last season, at the age of 33, Lillard delivered a remarkable performance, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists. However, he was limited to just 58 games as he decided to sit out the final month of the season.
The Trail Blazers are actively exploring other trade opportunities and are anticipated to promptly initiate discussions with championship-contending teams to trade Jrue Holiday, according to sources informed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Portland is determined to prioritize its roster of promising young guards.
Following the trade, the Milwaukee Bucks have become the widely recognized frontrunners to win the NBA championship, boasting odds of approximately 4-1 at U.S. sportsbooks. This marks a significant shift, as Milwaukee was previously ranked fourth in terms of championship favorites, trailing the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, the Boston Celtics, and the Phoenix Suns.
(Source: ESPN | Shams Charania | Eric Nehm | The Athletic)
