The Portland Trail Blazers have traded seven-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to ESPN, the team has agreed to a three-team deal that also includes the Phoenix Suns.
Portland will receive veteran Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday, Phoenix center Deandre Ayton, forward Toumani Camara, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick from Milwaukee, and unprotected draft pick swap rights from Milwaukee in 2028 and 2030.
Phoenix gets Portland center Jusuf Nurkic, Milwaukee guard Grayson Allen, and Portland wings Nassir Little and Keon Johnson, while Lillard joins an NBA title contender in Milwaukee alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and Khris Middleton in a potent and experienced starting lineup.
Lillard has spent all 11 years of his NBA career in Portland since being selected out of Weber State with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He quickly emerged as an elite player in the league, earning Rookie of the Year after averaging 19 points in his first season.
The 33-year-old and former Portland guard C.J. McCollum formed one of the NBA’s best backcourt duos for over eight seasons, leading the Blazers to eight consecutive playoff appearances. Portland struggled during the 2021-22 season as Lillard dealt with a string of injuries, and McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans at the trade deadline, signaling the beginning of a rebuild.
Despite the inevitable rebuild, Lillard remained loyal to Portland, even as trade rumors swirled. Yet, he finally had enough this offseason and officially requested a trade in July.
He enters the 2023-24 season with the eighth-most points and fourth-highest scoring average among active players and gives Milwaukee another lethal scorer and savvy veteran player.
