Nearly three years ago, the Portland Trail Blazers made the heartbreaking but necessary decision to trade Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Fast forward to today, the Blazers are clearly the winners of the deal, and they still keep on winning because of the Bucks' brewing implosion involving Giannis Antetokounmpo.
To recap, Portland received Toumani Camara (who has emerged as a core piece for the franchise), Jrue Holiday (who it immediately traded to the Boston Celtics for more assets and re-acquired in another wise move last summer), Deandre Ayton, a first-round pick in 2029, and the right to swap picks in 2028 and 2030.
Nothing came out of the Lillard megadeal for Milwaukee, as it opted to waive the star last offseason and stretch the remaining $113 million of his contract. It was a move that apparently did not sit well with Antetokounmpo. And in a stunning twist of fate, Dame went home to the Blazers.
The Bucks could be in deep trouble
While the Blazers have developed into a postseason contender that needs just a few more pieces to contend legitimately for the Western Conference crown, the Bucks have gone the opposite direction. They have already been eliminated from the playoffs, but that might not even be the worst of their problems.
Reports of the NBA investigating the Bucks have surfaced over their alleged mishandling of Antetokounmpo's availability amid his battle with injuries. The two-time MVP has recently claimed that he is healthy enough to play, but the team has not medically cleared him to suit up. Meanwhile, the Bucks have told investigators that Giannis has declined to play in 3-on-3 scrimmages — part of their return protocol from his knee injury.
An NBA spokesperson in response to its Milwaukee Bucks-Giannis Antetokounmpo investigation: “The NBA’s Player Participation Policy investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo is ongoing and certain facts remain in dispute. The investigation has found that the…
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2026
It remains to be seen if the league will deem the organization in violation of the NBA's player participation policy. It might not matter as much, though, as the possibly growing rift between Milwaukee and the Greek superstar. Fans might have to brace for a messy divorce this summer.
The Bucks' loss is the Blazers' gain
The Giannis-Bucks saga can be downright confusing. Perhaps the team should have hit the reset button earlier, as his trade value may not be as high as it used to be. And it's not like Antetokounmpo is blameless. He has continued to send mixed signals about his desire to keep playing in Milwaukee and may now have thrown his club under the bus.
Well, the Blazers can only watch with glee, not because of the threat of what should have been avoidable drama out in the East, but more because the value of the draft picks they got out of the Lillard trade could potentially skyrocket.
If Milwaukee opts to finally move on from Antetokounmpo this offseason, the path to contention might be long and rocky, especially because it doesn't have enough assets in the form of young players and draft capital to rebuild around. It's unclear what it could acquire in a Giannis deal.
Making matters worse for the Bucks is that Lillard will be on their payroll through 2030 for $22.5 million per season, severely impacting their financial flexibility. So, from 2028 to 2030, the chances of Portland owning a top draft pick while possibly continuing to compete in the postseason are pretty high.