NBA: Damian Lillard joins Milwaukee Bucks from Portland Trail Blazers

SourceBBC

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Seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard has joined the Milwaukee Bucks from the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three-team trade.

The 33-year-old, who played his entire 11-year career to date with the Blazers, will join two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo at the Bucks.

The Blazers had selected point guard Lillard with the sixth pick of the 2012 NBA Draft.

He said on X, formerly Twitter: “Excited for my next chapter!”

Other deals in the trade see guard Jrue Holiday, centre Deandre Ayton, rookie forward Toumani Camara joining the Trail Blazers, while the Phoenix Suns acquire centre Jusuf Nurkic, guard Grayson Allen, small forward Nassir Little and guard Keon Johnson.

The Trail Blazers will also take the Bucks’ unprotected first-round pick in 2029 and swap rights with them on first-round picks in 2028 and 2030.

Lillard, named one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players of all time in 2021, averaged a franchise-record 32.2 points per game last season – the third highest in the NBA.

The NBA regular season starts on 24 October.