The worst-case scenario for the Milwaukee Bucks with Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard gets hurt and/or isn’t a seamless fit with the team
Like we’ve said before, this season is not as simple as championship-or-bust for the Milwaukee Bucks. There are so many other layers to this season and the move made to acquire Damian Lillard. Heading into the season, a possible worst-case scenario for the Bucks with Lillard revolves around a possible injury and/or a difficult fit.
It’s hard to imagine that Lillard won’t mesh well with Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo but there is a chance that his limitations on the defensive end of the floor could complicate things for the team. Even though Lillard is one of the best offensive players in the league, there’s probably a bigger gap between Lillard and Holiday on the defensive end than offensively. That could make the transition difficult for Milwaukee.
What would make things even worse is an injury to Lillard. An injury to Lillard would not only blow up the Bucks’ chances this season but could end up complicating the future that much more. A disappointing season could point to Giannis not re-signing with the team, and waiting another full season until ultimately making a decision about his future.
Considering that a big part of the Bucks’ decision to trade for Lillard in the first place revolved around the hopes of re-signing Giannis, a Lillard injury would greatly complicate things even further for both Giannis and Milwaukee.