Damian Lillard Says Bucks Are 'Best Basketball Situation for Me' After Blazers Trade
Damian Lillard seems more than a little happy with his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks.
"I think this is the best basketball situation for me," he told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports, recounting a moment in practice when Giannis Antetokounmpo went all-out in a one-on-one drill against rookie Chris Livingston.
Lillard had pushed for an offseason trade to the Miami Heat, though no deal came to fruition. But pairing with a two-time MVP in Antetokounmpo and a fantastic third option in Khris Middleton—along with a number of other players who had already won a title previously with the Bucks—gave Lillard his best shot at ending his own championship drought.
"The depth is what makes me think this is my best chance to win," he told Rohlin. "We've just got to be healthy. And we've got to be together."
Neither Giannis nor Lillard has ever had a teammate as talented as the other. Giannis has had excellent teams in Milwaukee, and Middleton and Jrue Holiday were great running mates. But neither is as explosive or clutch a scorer as Dame, giving the Bucks a brand new dynamic in crunch time.
Lillard, meanwhile, has never played with a teammate that has the gravity and impact of Antetokounmpo. Not even close. With respect to C.J. McCollum, it was often Lillard who was dragging the Portland Trail Blazers to the postseason. Now, he'll share the burden with the Greek Freak, arguably the best player in basketball.
The 33-year-old Lillard is a seven-time All-Star and has made seven All-NBA teams (one first-team selection). He led Portland to eight straight postseason appearances between the 2013-14 and 2020-21 seasons.
But a ring has eluded him.
"I think I just gotta prove that I can be a champion," Lillard told Rohlin. "You know, be out front for a championship team. And that's it. I don't think I have to prove it. I just think that's what's left to prove."
"I'm proud of what my legacy would be with or without it," he added. "But I want it bad."
The Bucks offer him his best chance yet to get it.
