There has been a lot of speculation about the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. He has made some interesting comments this NBA offseason, saying he is focused solely on competing for championships.
That didn’t come with a guarantee that he would remain in Milwaukee, which led to plenty of speculation about him leaving town. Those talks were pretty much put to bed on Wednesday when the Bucks reaffirmed their commitment to contending.
Milwaukee pulled off a blockbuster trade, acquiring star point guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three-team deal that included the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks now have one of the most dominant pairings in the NBA with Lillard and Antetokounmpo.
The question is, will this be enough to keep the Greek Freak in Milwaukee long-term? In the opinion of one NBA scout, the short answer is yes.
“At the end of the day, the Bucks got better and improved their title chances, and I’m a humongous Holiday fan,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “Milwaukee’s perimeter defense got worse, but what Dame will give them offensively will be much better. I think Dame’s been overburdened with ball-handling in Portland, and so was Giannis in Milwaukee during critical playoff moments. Now, you have two guys who can handle the ball and create for themselves at pivotal times to win big games. Dame will get shots off the ball he hasn’t gotten before when he’s playing off Giannis.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo & Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Jrue Holiday has been an integral part of the Bucks’ success in recent years with his excellent two-way play. As the scout notes, his presence on the defensive end of the court will be missed. But what Lillard brings to the floor offensively should offset that.
A big part of Milwaukee’s struggles was having too much on the plate of Antetokounmpo, who was at times the sole creator offensively. That will no longer be the case as we have seen what Lillard can do with the ball in his hands in crunch time.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo & Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Slowing down an inside-out duo like those two will certainly not be easy, especially when you surround them with players such as Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis, all capable 3-point shooters.
The Bucks have cemented their status as a contender in the Eastern Conference in the present and improved their odds of securing a long-term commitment from Antetokounmpo in the process.
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