When it looked like <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> was preparing to join the Miami Heat, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks">Milwaukee Bucks</a> stepped in and struck a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers to pair <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> with the veteran guard.



Dame had made it clear his desire was to play in South Florida, where he saw a legitimate chance to succeed next to Jimmy Butler and company. However, it turns out that Portland found him another place where he can win.



The deal involved the Phoenix Suns and it cost the Bucks a number of assets, including Jrue Holiday. Therefore, the Greak Freek admitted this deal is kind of bittersweet despite it’s good for his team.



<h2>Giannis sad to see Holiday leave, but happy to have Lillard</h2>



“I’m excited to have Dame,” Giannis told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. “He gives us a chance to win a championship. I’m excited to play with the caliber of player that he is. He can score the ball in his sleep and shoot the lights out.”



Lillard’s arrival puts the Bucks in a position to succeed again, which is exactly what Giannis wants, as he said this offseason. However, losing a great teammate such as Holiday is still tough for him.



“It’s a bittersweet day for the city of Milwaukee,” Giannis added. “You get Dame, who is a great player, but you lose a great guy. Jrue took us to the promised land. I’m 10 years in now. I know it’s a business. At the end of the day, Jrue will alway be be my brother for life. He’s one of the best human beings I’ve been around. But we’ve got to focus on the goal to win the championship. Dame wants this. He’s hungry to win, and he’s going to push us. I’m very happy to have him on our team.”



No one saw this coming, but it completely makes sense. The Bucks get to give Giannis what he wants, which is help to win more championships, and Lillard finally belongs to a team that can seriously contend.


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<h2>How many years has Lillard spent in Portland?</h2>



Damian Lillard spent 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted him sixth overall in 2012.

Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to Bucks trading for Damian Lillard: 'Bittersweet'

Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to Bucks trading for Damian Lillard: 'Bittersweet' - Bolavip US

miniaturas

The&nbsp;<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a>&nbsp;led by&nbsp;<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a>&nbsp;were the best team in the regular season, but couldn’t deliver in the playoffs with an early exit in the first round against&nbsp;<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/jimmy-butler" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jimmy Butler</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Miami Heat.



As a consequence, even with a championship won just two years ago,&nbsp;Mike Budenholzer&nbsp;was fired as head coach and&nbsp;Adrian Griffin&nbsp;took over. Now, the front office had to make some moves in order to help Giannis.


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That’s why, the Bucks have shocked the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> with a historic trade for <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a>. The potential starting lineup for Milwaukee has already made them favorites to win the title.



<h2>Damian Lillard: What will be the starting lineup for the Bucks?</h2>



After the massive trade, the potential starting lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks could look like this: Damian Lillard (PG), Malik Beasley (SG), Khris Middleton (SF), Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF) and Brook Lopez (C).







Thanks to this scenario, Milwaukee are the new favorites to become champions in the NBA (+375) followed by the Nuggets (+425), Celtics (+500) and the Phoenix Suns (+550).



<h2>What was the trade package for Damian Lillard?</h2>



According to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski, in the three-team trade, Portland will get Jrue Holliday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee’s 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick and unprotected Bucks swap rights in 2028 and 2030. By the way, their intention is to trade Holliday.


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Meanwhile, the Suns will receive Jusuf Nurkic,&nbsp;Grayson Allen,&nbsp;Nassir Little&nbsp;and&nbsp;Keon Johnson. All those players join another tremendous roster with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Damian Lillard: What will be the potential starting lineup for the Bucks?

Damian Lillard takes a big shot at Kevin Durant

Damian Lillard\&#039;s first message after being traded to the Bucks

Damian Lillard: What will be the potential starting lineup for the Bucks? - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> looks like an entirely different person right now. He’s threatening the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> about his future and has put the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA </a>on notice about his potential desire to leave.



This seems out of character for a guy like Giannis, who had always talked about winning the hard way, staying loyal, and building a contender instead of joining one.



Whatever the case, fellow Buck <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/khris-middleton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Khris Middleton</a> recently stated that neither he nor anybody else is actually worried about Giannis’ future, and this situation won’t have an effect on the team.



<h2>Bucks Players Aren’t Worried About Giannis</h2>



“I think it’s kind of business as usual either way,” Middleton told ESPN. “It doesn’t affect me personally. I don’t think it affects us as a team. I think this is something he said almost every year he’s come up in contract extension talks.”



Perhaps this wasn’t the wisest choice of words by Middleton. Downplaying Giannis’ discontent could only make things worse, even if he meant that he believes everything will get sorted out eventually.


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The fact of the matter is that the Bucks need to do whatever they can to keep the Greek Freak on board, as they could go back to being a playoff-hopeful small-market team without him.

Khris Middleton claims Bucks don't care about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future

Khris Middleton claims Bucks don't care about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> are in a bit of a tough spot right now.<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> wants them to convince him to sign a contract extension by proving to him that they can compete for an <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> championship.



This is kind of shocking, considering they had the best record in the league last season and won a ring three years ago, all while keeping the same core they have nowadays.



That’s why former <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nfl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL</a> star Shannon Sharpe called him out for his double standards, hinting at him being a hypocrite for wanting the Bucks to give him better teammates and then making them sign his brothers.



<h2>Shannon Sharpe Rips Giannis Antetokounmpo</h2>



“You got your brothers occupying two rosters spots,” Sharpe said on First Take. “Your brothers probably not gonna be playing for any other team in the NBA except Milwaukee and that’s only because of you. So you keep talking about surrounding you with talent. There’s two spots being occupied by your brothers.”



Truth be told, there’s no way any of the other Antetokounmpo players would make an NBA roster, with all due respect. They’re not bad players, but their style might not be suited for NBA basketball.


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Giannis taking care of his family is noble and definitely admirable. But if you want to have your brothers on the payroll, maybe don’t criticize your team for not surrounding you with enough talent.

Shannon Sharpe exposes Giannis Antetokounmpo's double standard with the Bucks

Shannon Sharpe exposes Giannis Antetokounmpo's double standard with the Bucks - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> has recently put the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> on notice. He claimed that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> unless he believed they could and wanted to win another ring.



Now, the Bucks pretty much have a season to convince arguably their best player in franchise history — granted that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left early — to stay in town.



And according to a GM who talked to NBA insider Ric Bucher, it all had to do with their first-round shortcomings vs. the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat</a>, as Giannis was left wondering what kind of team they actually were.



<h2>Bucks’ First-Round Exit Made Giannis Doubt His Future</h2>



“That happening to him in the first round is the reason for the stance he’s taking, which is, ‘I’m not saying I’m not coming back, but I need to see which team we are. Are we a first-round exit team? Or are we really a Finals team that just happened to lose in the first round for different reasons last year?,&apos;” the GM said.



The Bucks could’ve won that series, or at least been more competitive, had Giannis not left with an injury in the first game. Still, they failed to rally without him, and that could be a concern.


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New coach Adrian Griffin will be under a lot of pressure to deliver right away. Giannis Is one of the best players in the league, and he should have no shortage of suitors if he decides to leave.

GM reveals why Giannis Antetokoumnpo could leave the Bucks

GM reveals why Giannis Antetokoumnpo could leave the Bucks - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> will have one year to prove to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo </a>that they want to win another <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> championship as much as he does, and that won’t be easy.



They got him involved in their pursuit of a new coach, and they got rid of Mike Budenholzer as soon as he called him out. They also got him all his teammates back, so one can only wonder what else they could do.



Still, the Greek Freak has been on a mission to let them know that he’s not going to stay there unless they do right by him, and he once again hinted at taking his talents somewhere else.



<h2>Giannis Antetokounmpo Hints At Leaving</h2>



“I am a winner. I want to be a winner,” Giannis said on the 48 Minutes podcast. “Comfort zone does not matter to me. I don’t want to, in this lifetime, talk about the same story over and over again.”



“At the end of the day, I want to create new memories, I want to win a lot of championships,” he continued. “I’m a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I’m a winner. If there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien I have to take that better situation.”


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It’s kind of odd to see a player like Giannis do this kind of thing, as he had raved about winning the hard way and loyalty multiple times in the past. This could be just a power move, or maybe he doesn’t feel the same way anymore.

Giannis Antetokounmpo seems ready to leave the Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo seems ready to leave the Milwaukee Bucks - Bolavip US

Only two years ago, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> won his first <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a> championship with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks">Milwaukee Bucks</a>. It was a memorable night for the Greek star, but he’s already over it.



The Bucks failed to get close to the promised land in the last two seasons, falling particularly short in 2023. Despite being the No. 1 seed in the East, Milwaukee was shocked by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.



This offseason, Giannis raised many eyebrows by suggesting he could leave the organization if the team doesn’t have what it takes to contend. Recently, he insisted that his desire is to be where he can succeed.



<h2>Giannis says he wants to win more rings</h2>



“I am a winner. I want to be a winner. Contracts, fame, status, comfort zone does not matter to me. I don’t want to be able to get stuck in this lifetime to keep on talking about the same story,” Giannis said on the 48 Minutes podcast on Bleav, via ClutchPoints.



“I’m tired with sharing the same story over and over again. I know we haven’t won a championship in 50 years. But at the end of the day, I want to create new memories, I want to win a lot of championships.”


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<h2>How many years does Giannis have left in his contract?</h2>



Giannis Antetokounmpo is entering the third of a five-year, $228m contract, which includes a player option for the 2025-26 season.

NBA Rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo puts more pressure on the Bucks

NBA Rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo puts more pressure on the Bucks - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> forward <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> is one of the biggest stars in the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a>, and as such, mlutiple teams will keep tabs on his situation when he says he’s not happy.



Giannis set some conditions to sign a contract extension with the franchise next summer. And while that might not mean anything, it could also raise some concerns within the organization.



That’s why former <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Toronto Raptors </a>assistant and new Bucks coach Adrian Griffin wanted to make it loud and clear that he has no issue whatsoever with Giannis or his winning mindset.



<h2>Adrian Griffin Lauds Giannis Antetokounmpo</h2>



“Well, Giannis and I are on the same page,” Griffin told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We have a great relationship so far and he’s been just pleasant to get to know. He wants to win and I want to win and it’s that simple.”



“So I respect him. I respect thaw he’s accomplished in this league and we’re here together to win,” he added. “So I have no problem with that. I think it’s a great partnership. We’re going to lead the team together. When he leads, the others will follow, so I think it’s great.”



Of course, it’ll now be up to the organization to actually prove him that they want to win as badly as he does. Otherwise, don’t be shocked if multiple teams come on knocking with a big offer.

Bucks' new coach responds to Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors

Bucks' new coach responds to Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> cannot rest on their laurels right now. They need to do everything in their power to convince <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> that he needs to stay there and pursue another <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> championship.



The Greek Freak recently made all the headlines for stating that he doesn’t plan to sign a contract extension with the Bucks unless he’s convinced they’re all committed.



With that in mind, multiple teams have emerged as potential destinations for the former Defensive Player of the Year. Notably, that includes one of their divisional rivals, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/chicago-bulls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chicago Bulls.</a>



<h2>Bulls Could Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo</h2>



“I believe that’s exactly what the Bulls are positioning themselves to do, with all eyes on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the summer of 2025,” Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic said. “If such a plan comes together, we’ll suddenly look at the Bulls front office and their continuity plan a whole lot differently.”



“By keeping their failed core together and trumpeting continuity, the Bulls aren’t just remaining competitive in the short term. They’ve also maintained salaries large enough and players talented enough to warrant a seat at the table if the day comes that Antetokounmpo is ready to branch out from Milwaukee,” concluded the report.


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Of course, this is all assuming Giannis is, in fact, looking to get out of Wisconsin. And while trading him to a divisional rival might not be orthodox, the Bulls could certainly be a strong suitor.

NBA Rumors: Bulls are a realistic destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo

NBA Rumors: Bulls are a realistic destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> has become one of the biggest talking points in<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> NBA</a> circles right now. His words about not signing an extension with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a> led to all kinds of speculation.



The Greek Freak made it loud and clear that he doesn’t plan to sign an extension unless he feels like everybody’s on the same page. Moreover, he stated that he won’t do it this season because it just doesn’t make sense financially.



However, despite all speculation about the New York Knicks an<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">d Los Angeles Lakers</a> being ready to jump the gun and make a move for him, a Western Conference executive explained to Heavy why that’s simply not possible.



<h2>Knicks And Lakers Can’t Trade For Giannis</h2>



“They will need to get lucky somewhere along the line if there is going to be a trade, and the fact is, it’s always a trade now, it’s never really free agency,” the GM said. “But everyone talks like the Knicks have this giant pile of picks. They don’t. They have three heavily protected picks and probably none of them get you in the Top 10. Those are nice, but that kind of protection is not going to get you Giannis.”



“If LeBron decides to stay with the Lakers and he’s there past 2025–which is probably going to happen–you really can’t get Giannis to the Lakers in that situation,” the GM continued. “It’d be tough.”



“Another executive, with a Western Conference team, pointed out that Antetokounmpo is less enamored of big markets than other major stars, and that the teams poised to make a trade for him – if it comes to that point – are not in places NBA fans might normally expect a star trade,” the report added.



<h2>When Does Giannis Contract Run Out?</h2>


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Giannis Antetokounmpo is entering the third season of the five-year, $228 million extension he signed, so he still has two years left under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded but not to Lakers or Knicks

Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded but not to Lakers or Knicks, says executive Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded but not to Lakers or Knicks - Bolavip US

Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded but not to Lakers or Knicks, says executive

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> have always been on the market for the best players in the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA.</a> From Elgin Baylor to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/lebron-james" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James,</a> most great hoopers in league history have worn the Purple and Gold.



The Lakers are currently one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. Even if LeBron isn’t getting any younger, GM Rob Pelinka has put together a very solid squad.



But all great things could be even better, which is why they’re reportedly keeping tabs on <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/giannis-antetokounmpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giannis Antetokounmpo’s</a> situation with the Milwaukee Bucks, especially after hinting at leaving the team in the future.



<h2>Lakers Will Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo</h2>



“The Lakers and the Knicks are already being mentioned as franchises presumed to interest Antetokounmpo down the road if he does decide to move on from Milwaukee,” reported NBA insider Marc Stein. 



“Which just made a slew of moves (re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and replacing Mike Budenholzer as coach with Adrian Griffin) to try to appease its face of the franchise,” he added.


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Of course, this is all speculation and Giannis is still under contract. But if he refuses to sign an extension as he hinted at, expect the Lakers to be heavy players in their pursuit of the Greek Freak.

Giannis Antetokounmpo