NBA: 14 Unpopular and bold predictions for the upcoming 2023-24 season

Victor Wembanyama (Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
Victor Wembanyama (Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
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Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard (Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports)

Damian Lillard will struggle to fit in with the Milwaukee Bucks

I must preface by saying that I’m not trying to be a hater. But for as good as Damian Lillard is on the offensive end of the floor, I can’t act as if I’m not at least somewhat concerned about what losing their primary point of attack defender will do to their overall defense. Will Lillard help offensively and in late-game situations? Absolutely. Although, I don’t believe the transition for Lillard is going to be as seamless as many believe it to be.

In fact, I’ll take it a step further. I predict that Lillard is going to struggle to a certain extent to fit in with the Milwaukee Bucks. Does that mean the Bucks aren’t going to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season? I don’t think so. At the same time, I also don’t believe that the Bucks are going to be as overwhelming of a team as many fans believe they’re going to be.

I have to be honest, the Bucks’ trade for Lillard felt a bit NBA 2K-ish. Many times, those moves don’t end up working too well in real life. While I don’t believe they’re going to be an outright failure, I also believe it’s something to keep an eye on.