It’s been a fairly uneven run for Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks as they prepare to enter the NBA playoffs. But does that mean Lillard is unhappy with the organization?
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith sure seems to think so.
“If Milwaukee loses, I think you need to consider moving Dame up outta there,” Smith said, via Clutch Points. “I’m not talking about his game. He’s not happy there.”
The Bucks won the Central Division but finished with the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference after faltering late. They will face the No. 6-seeded Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, and Game 1 could come without injured star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lillard did indeed seek a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers specifically to the Miami Heat at the end of last season — but ended up going to the Bucks. He said at the time he was happy he was sent to Milwaukee.
And while Smith has his opinions, Lillard recently suggested that he and Antetokounmpo have found some chemistry together.
“I think it’s getting much better,” Lillard said, via The Athletic. “To start the season, I think a lot of people wanted it to just click and happen right away. But I think anytime you put two guys together who’ve always been the decision maker, always had the ball in your hands for years and years and years, it’s going to take time for us to learn how to play with each other and learn how to play off of one another.
“And I think we’re just, first of all, having a lot more dialogue about what I need from him and he’s telling me what he needs for me. And I think our understanding is getting much better. And because of that, I’m able to get to certain spots and I’m using him against the defense and vice versa. When we get the kind of attention that we’ve been getting, where it’s a guy guarding me and his guy is being aggressive and then the help is pulling over to guard whichever one of us ends up with the ball, then the next guy is getting a clean shot.”
More must-reads: