The Damian Lillard era in Portland is over.
The Trail Blazers agreed to trade their future Hall of Fame guard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade also involving the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski shared the full details of the blockbuster.
Lillard spent his first 11 seasons in Portland, becoming a franchise icon who eschewed greener championship pastures to attempt to make things work.
It never did.
The Blazers made a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 but were otherwise a playoff also-ran. Portland was swept or lost in five games in four different first-round playoff series. The team concluded the Lillard era with back-to-back lottery seasons.
Despite near-constant speculation that Lillard would request a trade, he consistently said he was willing to “die” on the hill of staying in Portland his whole career.
“To give that experience to people on a consistent basis for years and years and years, I look out there and I see my jersey everywhere,” Lillard said.
“The love hasn’t faded. [Not like], ‘Oh, we loved Dame for his first six years.’ Like, I’m seeing my jersey out there consistently and it’s been over a decade. Other than a championship, what more can I give?”
BREAKING: The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FRgQyDVjQG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 27, 2023