BREAKING: Blazers trade Lillard to Bucks, land Ayton

[Monika]

9/27/23 --

PORTLAND, OR - Damian Lillard is a Blazer no more. Nearly three months after requesting a trade, Damian Lillard has been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team deal in which the Blazers landed young center Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns, among other assets.

The trade was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Lillard, who is entering his 12 NBA season, has spent all 11 years of his career with the Blazers since being drafted sixth overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. instead of leading a rebuild, Lillard formally requested a trade from the Blazers shortly after this year's Draft when the Blazers selected point guard Scoot Henderson with the third overall pick in the draft. Lillard's specific wish was to be sent to the Miami Heat, but the Heat reportedly failed to assemble a trade package which was acceptable to Blazers general manager Joe Cronin.

As part of the deal, the Blazers will receive Ayton, a seven footer who was a member of the Suns Western Conference championship team of the 2021-22 season. They also receive journeyman guard Jrue Holiday, Belgian forward Toumani Camara, a 2029 unprotected first round draft pick from Milwaukee, as well as unprotected first round draft pick swap rights with the Bucks. Portland is expected to engage in trade talks to deal Holiday, per Wojnarowski.

Ayton has averaged in double figures in both points and rebounds during all five of his NBA seasons. For his career, he averages 18.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Camara, a 6'8" forward was selected in the 2023 NBA Draft and is on his rookie contract.

The Suns will receive center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Nassir Little and guard Keon Johnson from the Blazers, as well as point guard Grayson Allen from the Bucks. Milwaukee's only compensation in the deal is Lillard.

Lillard leaves Portland as its all-time leading scorer with 19,376, having surpassed Clyde Drexler's 18,040. He also leads in points per game (25.2), three-point field goals made (2,387), free-throw percentage (89.5) and in several other categories. Lillard averaged a Blazers (and personal) record 32.2 points per game last season. He missed 53 games in 2021-22 and 24 games in 2022-23 due to injuries.

Nurkic was selected 16th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and traded that night to the Denver Nuggets. He spent six-and-a-half seasons with the team, averaging 1.44 points and 9.8 rebounds during his time with the team. He has missed significant time over the past four seasons due to various injuries. Little was drafted by the players in 2019 as the 25th pick. Over his four seasons with the team, he has averaged 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds. Johnson was brought over via trade with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 6.5 points and 2.0 assists in a Blazers uniform.

The Blazers open the 2023-24 campaign in October. Click for the Team Schedule. For other major team news, click on our Blazers 2023-24 News Tracker. Click for the inaugural schedule for the Blazers NBA G League team, the Rip City Remix.

-MMM


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[Monika]

10/1/2023 --

UPDATE: Just days after acquiring Jrue Holiday in the trade which sent Damian Lillard to the Bucks, the Blazers have reportedly traded Holiday to the Boston Celtics for 6'9" center Robert Williams III, guard Malcolm Brogdon and two future first round draft picks.

The Blazers now have the Golden State Warriors' 2024 first-round pick, which is protected if it results in picks 1-4. The pick belonged to the Celtics via a previous trade with the Warriors. The Blazers also now own the Bucks 2029 first-round pick, which is unprotected. 

Williams, nicknamed "Time Lord," enters his sixth season with averages of 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game (averages of 20.5 minutes per game). It is speculated that he will pair with Deandre Ayton in the Blazers frontcourt this season. Brogdon is expected to be flipped in an upcoming trade if a suitor can be found. There is a slight possibility he could remain on the roster, however.

Barring a Brogdon trade, the Blazers' two deals over the past week have set up the team for training camp, which begins tomorrow, October 2. Pre-season starts October 10 when the team hosts the New Zealand Breakers of Australia/New Zealand's National Basketball League.
    

[Monika]

10/1/23 --

UPDATE: Combining the two trades, which will likely be paired together historically, the following is a summary of what the Blazers traded away, and what they received.

Traded Away
G Damian Lillard (to Bucks)
G Keon Johnson (to Suns)
F Nassir Little (to Suns)
C Jusuf Nurkic (to Suns)

Received
C Deandre Ayton (from Suns)
G Malcolm Brogdon (from Celtics)
F Toumani Camara (from Suns)
C Robert Williams III (from Celtics)
2024 Warriors first round pick (top 4 protected)
2029 Bucks first round pick (unprotected)
2029 Celtics first round pick (unprotected)
2028 Bucks pick swap
2030 Bucks pick swap

Flipped
G Jrue Holiday (from Bucks, to Blazers, to Celtics)

Other Piece(s)
G Grayson Allen (from Bucks, to Suns)
     

[Nevadanut]

That's a pretty huge return when you look at the two trades combined. I hear they might even trade Brogdon and get some more assets. I think the cupboard was bare after Olshey destroyed the team. I think Cronin is full in on the rebuild.