The Milwaukee Bucks are back in the NBA playoffs after they finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 49-33 record, which was below their expectations because they were 30-13 at one point when former head coach Adrian Griffin was at the helm.
But because they have the stronger roster on paper, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to eliminate the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the first round. ESPN resident analyst Stephen A. Smith said that he would be shocked if the Milwaukee Bucks somehow lose, and he offered an eye-opening take if ever that does happen.
“If Milwaukee loses, I said, I think you need to consider moving Dame up out of there. I’m not talking about his game. He’s not happy there,” Smith said about Lillard on First Take.
“And I know he wanted to go to Miami too. Let’s call it what it is. I mean, you got all of that going on. That’s a lot to deal with. I’m not talking about his game, because I believe in Dame. I’m talking about what he has to go through and psychologically how that situation may not be ideal for him,” he added.
Damian Lillard’s first season with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard last summer to give Giannis Antetokounmpo a running mate who could consistently get his buckets, and he has done exactly that, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 35.4 percent from three-point land during the recently-concluded regular season.
Damian Lillard was selected to his eighth NBA All-Star team, and he managed to play 73 regular season games after playing 15 fewer regular season games in his last season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Credit: Getty Images
Stephen A. Smith made the Damian Lillard trade claim because the 33-year-old went viral for his quote about the “harsh reality” he is living in because he is far away from his family.
With the NBA playoffs on the horizon, Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks have an opportunity to silence their doubters, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be at full strength.
