After a momentous 2023 season, capped off with a Denver Nuggets championship, the past offseason is headlined by shaken up rosters that reflect the changing NBA culture. Damian Lillard now in Milwaukee, Bradley Beal in Phoenix, and Chris Paul on the Warriors, all illuminate how players are able to find agency in a league leaning away from executive-focused control.
The success of these players after requesting trades suggests that Damian Lillard is the next star to earn a ring following a blockbuster trade.
The Player-empowerment movement in the NBA is seen with a perceptible vitality. Beginning with the original Kyrie Irving trade to the Celtics, players requesting trades have been able to find a new destination with more ease. Irving’s 2017 trade has led to a domino effect.
The next summer, Kawhi Leonard was shipped to the Raptors, winning a championship the following season. Kawhi’s example proves this greater agency for players has led to greater success. Later, in the 2018 season, Jimmy Butler was dealt to the 76ers after an eventful season in which Butler loudly expressed his displeasure with the Minnesota Timberwolve.
Anthony Davis’ trade to the Lakers in 2019 resulted in another ring for the franchise in 2020 after the stoppage of the pandemic. James Harden’s well-documented Rockets controversy — where many suspected he wore a fat-suit in order to express his displeasure with Houston — led him to join the Brooklyn Nets in 2020 alongside superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Durant later forced himself out of Brooklyn after two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise.
With the enormous success during the last five years of megastars requesting trades, including Kawhi Leonard donning Raptors gear and Davis in the purple-and-gold, will Damian Lillard find resurgence in his career? Despite all of the disappointing seasons, Portland has continually failed to set up a roster around the seven-time all-star, thus the reason for his trade.
Milwaukee’s pairing of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be the next big thing. After capturing a title in 2021, the Bucks did not follow up well in 2022 or 2023. Lackluster performances from the bench and underwhelming production from the duo of Khris Middleton and Antetokounmpo allowed the eighth-seeded Miami Heat to outlast the Bucks in only five games.
Going into the playoffs as a one-seed, the defending champions fell out of the playoffs in the first round, losing to the upstart Miami Heat. Damian Lillard brings consistent scoring to the Bucks, which will be a better replacement for recently-departed three-year starting point guard Jrue Holiday, who was dealt to the Boston Celtics.
Antetokounmpo has gained criticism for his inability to develop a consistent three-point shot, and while he has silenced most of those critics, the Bucks still are not a perennial threat from beyond the line. The addition of Lillard will give the Bucks a 37% three-point shooter, not to mention the amount of game winners he will bring to Milwaukee.
To measure the amount of influence of success a player has on winning, win-shares are used, calculated by dividing marginal offense by marginal points per win. While the Golden State Warriors currently have the best duo of win share teammates, Chris Paul, who is currently the second active NBA player with regards to win shares, behind Lebron James, and Steph Curry, who are 38 and 35 years old respectively.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo are still in their prime, 33 and 28, respectively, meaning Milwaukee has arguably the brightest future in the NBA with star-duo combined win shares.
Lillard will ride the recent success of players finding championships with their new team, and not only flirt with familiar freedom, but capitalize on a championship with MVP-caliber player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
