Jazz Opt to Not Faciliate Damian Lillard Trade, Bucks Win Sweepstakes

The long-winded offseason saga surrounding G Damian Lillard trade rumors has finally come to a close, as the 7x All-Star has reportedly been dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal involving the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on X.

BREAKING: The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FRgQyDVjQG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 27, 2023

The trade unites Lillard with an All-Star teammate in F Giannis Antetokounmpo for the first time in his career since 2015. While this wasn’t the move anyone really expected after months of Miami Heat rumors, the deal finally coming to form is a welcome sight for all NBA fans (except for the ones in South Beach).

However, the deal also comes without any involvement from the Utah Jazz. It was a long shot for Utah to land the big prize of Dame, but being a piece within a multi-team trade was a possibility that remained in the cards for as long as he was on the market. Whether it comes from adding G Tyler Herro or someone else, Danny Ainge always sticks as an executive ready to make an opportunistic move at a moment’s notice.

The conclusion of this Lillard saga brings up an interesting situation surrounding Herro. With his future in Miami looking rockier by the day, seeing if he sticks with the franchise after months of being surrounded by whispers of being moved out is something to keep an eye on. The Jazz could re-engage with interest if a trade seems inevitable, but that remains to be seen.

Another sneaky trade candidate to keep your eye on for Utah might be G Jrue Holiday. Considering the state of the Blazers’ youthful roster packed with materializing guards, keeping a player like Holiday around would be a roadblock for development. If the Jazz wanted a short-term solution for their starting point guard position, bringing on a two-way veteran with an expiring deal could be an answer.

With just under a week until Jazz training camp, the roster could see a few minor shake-ups to iron out this rotation before the season starts. If not, this roster is set with many high-potential and inspiring players to build with.

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