The Chicago Bulls haven’t made many major moves this summer, but their division rival just made the splash of the offseason. Damian Lillard was just traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, and picks head to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, and other assets head to the Phoenix Suns.
While Bulls fans’ immediate reaction to the trade may be to think about having to face Lillard two more times a season now, which is the case, the trade actually has a positive spin for the Bulls. Actually, a few of them.
Buy Bulls TicketsHere are three reasons why the Lillard-to-the-Bucks trade is great for Chicago.
1. A worsened Bucks defense
Sure, the Bucks’ offense will take a major step forward next season, but their defense got worse. And for a Bulls team that thrived on defense and struggled on offense, it could actually make their lives a bit easier when going up against Milwaukee.
2. A potential Jrue Holiday trade
Now that Lillard is in Milwaukee, Holiday will hit the trade block. And for a Chicago team that has been in desperate need of a point guard since Lonzo Ball went down, he makes for the perfect trade target.
3. A better future than Milwaukee?
The Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard. That’s amazing. But they just gambled even more of their future for an old point guard without even securing a guarantee that Antetokounmpo will stay past his current contract. Chicago’s future may not look amazing, but Milwaukee’s isn’t perfect, either.
