Milwaukee Bucks Experience Significant Future Upsurge Following Damian Lillard Trade
Milwaukee Bucks have become the favorite to win the 2023-24 NBA Championship following their unexpected acquisition of All-Star guard Damian Lillard. Lillard may have initially been set to join the Toronto Raptors, but negotiations with the Miami Heat fell apart, paving the way for the Bucks to make a surprise move.
On Wednesday, the Bucks went from being a long shot at +2000 odds to add Lillard to the favorites at -390 odds. This sudden shift took even the top sportsbooks by surprise.
Lillard Trade Details
Trail Blazers were initially seeking four first-round draft picks from the Heat, but their best offer only included two picks, Tyler Herro, and a couple of role players like Nikola Jovic or Jamie Jaquez. The negotiations broke down when the Trail Blazers set a deadline of NBA Media Day on October 2.
The Bucks sneakily entered the scene by asking the Phoenix Suns to facilitate a three-way trade for Lillard. The Suns were already involved in trade discussions concerning former #1 pick Deandre Ayton.
In return for Lillard, the Bucks traded point guard Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers, along with a 2029 first-round pick and two first-round pick swaps (in 2028 and 2030). The Bucks also sent guard Grayson Allen to the Suns.
The Suns traded center Ayton and rookie forward Toumani Camara to the Trail Blazers, who then sent the Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, shooting guard Keon Johnson, and small forward Nassir Little to complete the deal.
NBA Futures
Bucks' odds for winning the NBA Championship at DraftKings surged instantly after the news of the Lillard trade, jumping from +850 odds to +400 as it was announced. The Bucks are now at +390.
The Bucks were already +330 odds to win the Eastern Conference, and now they're at +165 after the trade. Their odds to secure the #1 playoff seed went from +220 to +125.
The Bucks have maintained a dominant presence in the Central Division, winning five consecutive division titles. They were the favorites to extend that streak at -230 odds before the trade. Their divisional odds are now -380.
The season win total for the Bucks moved from 52.5 over/under to 55.5 o/u.
The Suns were also considered favorites, with +650 odds to win the NBA Championship after they acquired guard Bradley Beal. With the addition of Nurkic and key role players in the Lillard trade, their odds are now at +600.
The Heat had previously seen an uptick in their championship odds, but when the Bucks secured Lillard, the Heat's odds plummeted from +900 to +2800.
Bucks' Motive to Retain "Greek Freak"
Giannis "Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo has warned the Bucks that they need to convince him they're committed to winning another championship before he extends his contract. The Knicks were speculated to be the frontrunners to acquire Antetokounmpo, while several other teams, including the Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks, were interested.
The Bucks won the NBA title in 2020-21 under head coach Mike Budenholzer but did not manage to repeat in 2022. The Bucks lost in the first round of the playoffs to the #8 Miami Heat due to a Khris Middleton knee injury and Giannis' back injury.
After their disappointing playoff performance, the Bucks fired Budenholzer and hired Adrian Griffin, who previously served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. To improve their half-court offense and perimeter shooting, they then traded Holiday.
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Source: www.casino.org
