Felger & Mazz: Instant reaction to the Bucks trading for Damien Lillard
The Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damien Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in a blockbuster trade on Wednesday afternoon. Felger, a Milwaukee Bucks fan, reacts to the breaking news of the Bucks acquiring Lillard.
Felger’s reaction…
Jim Murray: Big breaking NBA news: After months of speculation, Damian Lillard has been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three way deal. The Bucks get Damian Lillard, the Blazers get Deandre Ayton, the Suns get Jusuf Nurkic among other players, It also involves picks but the big news is that Damian Lillard has been traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Felger: Holy crap! He’d rather go to Milwaukee…
Mazz: Over Boston.
Felger: Over the Celtics. Milwaukee? Milwaukee?
Mazz: Well it’s a happening place.
Felger: It is not. Let me tell you. My homeland, still my teams, but woof! He’d rather go to Milwaukee than the Boston Celtics. Every time the Boston Celtics were brought up, he and those around him laughed. Laughed! Yet he’s taking a trade to Milwaukee? Wow.
Mazz: And I think they’re the favorites to win it now. I mean, again, you might be able to argue Phoenix, but they lost Ayton in this deal.
Felger: So give me the details on it.
Mazz: Okay, so I’m just reading from Woj’s tweet from a little while ago. Lillard goes to Milwaukee as part of a three team trade with Jrue Holiday, DeAndre Ayton, Toumani Kamara and a 2029 unprotected Milwaukee first.
Felger: 2029?
Mazz: And Milwaukee also swaps picks in 2028 and 2030. So Portland gets three first round picks. 28, 29 and 30, but 29 is the only unprotected first. I know it’s way down the road.
Felger: But I mean honestly, I don’t know how the Bucks could possibly have pulled that off. They have no first round picks. They traded them all the way for Holiday and they don’t have any money. Like tax, apron, whatever the mid-market, like, I don’t know how they have the money and I don’t know how they have the draft capital. They traded all their picks away.
PORTLAND, OREGON – MAY 20: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers handles the ball during the second half against the Golden State Warriors in game four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Moda Center on May 20, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Mazz: Now apparently they traded the rest of them away.
Felger: I mean, like how far in the future are you allowed to go? O.
J-Stew: Seven years-ish.
Felger: Holy smokes. 28, 29 and 30?
Mazz: Correct. So they now have traded…..
Felger: The decade away.
Mazz: Right. They’ve traded away the decade. Correct. But you know what? Honestly, it’s a smart move.
Felger: Of course it is.
Mazz: Yeah. Keep Giannis happy.
Jim Murray: Keep Giannis away from the Lakers is what it is.
Mazz: Right. But that’s my point Murray. Not only that, and I don’t know how long Lillard’s going to play, he’s the perfect complement for Giannis.
Felger: Why?
Mazz: Because he can bomb from 35 feet away and Giannis can just control the area around the basket. Now you can bury teams from inside and out. What are you going to do, double off of Lillard? Like they’re going to kill people. I’m willing to bet that within 5 minutes the Bucks are going to be number one to win the championship.
Felger: Tell me this…is Lillard a bigger danger to the Celtics in Miami or Milwaukee?
Mazz: Milwaukee.
Felger: Just because of Giannis?
Mazz: Yep absolutely.100%.
