Two years ago, the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard, hoping the All-NBA talent could help Giannis Antetokounmpo win another NBA championship. Needless to say, the superstar duo hasn’t worked out as everyone in Wisconsin hoped.
The Bucks have been bounced from the first round of the NBA Playoffs in back-to-back years, and that’s come after hiring an all-time great in Doc Rivers. Unfortunately, the immediate future looks even more bleak after Lillard ruptured his Achilles tendon and is likely looking at missing the majority, if not all, of next year.
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Thus, if the Bucks plan on taking another trip to the NBA Finals, they may have to make some sizable roster changes. Ideally, they won’t be trading Antetokounmpo, since he’s the face of the franchise and the team’s leading ticket and jersey seller.
However, trying to trade Lillard may not be off the table, but would any team be desperate enough to trade for a player who won’t be able to help compete next season? Perhaps the Phoenix Suns would.
The Suns are also in no-man’s land. Though, unlike the Bucks, they couldn’t even reach the postseason with last year’s superteam which is likely to lead to significant roster shakeup. If there’s one player they’d love to get rid of, it’s Bradley Beal, who’s not only signed to a supermax contract, he has a full no-trade clause, which makes him hard to move.
Though, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes believes the Bucks may actually bite on taking on the remainder of Beal’s $251 million contract, which runs through the 2025-26 season, but also has a $57 million player option for 2027.
“The idea here is simple, but it hinges on Giannis Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee.
Lillard’s ruptured Achilles means he’s not going to help next season. Beal, despite enduring slippage in Phoenix, is going to be the more valuable contributor in 2025-26 by default. If he likes the idea of settling in as the clear No. 2 option to a superstar instead of trying to find his way as a No. 3 in Phoenix, he could waive his no-trade clause and allow a deal to proceed.Phoenix is taking on dead money for next year while banking on Lillard returning to form (and outproducing Beal) in 2026-27 and beyond. It’s not a ridiculous bet. Even a diminished Lillard would fill Phoenix’s need for a true point guard better than Beal ever did.”
Bleacher Report on Bucks trading for Bradley Beal
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While Beal has taken some knocks since going to Phoenix, he’s still a remarkable scorer who averages 21.5 points per game in his career. Plus, he could be rejuvenated by the opportunity of getting to join a contender and one of the NBA’s best players in Antetokounmpo.
Related: Former top-five draft pick eyes comeback and is drawing interest from multiple NBA teams
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