Stephen A. Smith looks for no one and nobody when it comes to expressing his opinions. He had a lot to say about the Damian Lillard trade and he did on ESPN’s First Take. More recently, on The Stephen A. Smith Show, he talks further about the implications of the said trade.

The three-team deal caused quite a stir among the NBA teams. Lillard’s preference for the Heats, Giannis’s interest in Dame, Damian’s belief in Giannis being THE one to lead him to a championship, and the Bucks doing everything they can to keep their star player happy. Definitely a cul-de-sac, but the end result was positive.

Damian Lillard gets the nod of approval from Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith revisited the three-team deal involving Lillard landing in the Bucks on his show. Among other noteworthy topics, he went on to dub the title “Most Lethal PG in the NBA” on Dame, “outside of Steph Curry“.

Everybody knows that Milwaukee Bucks is one of the top three contenders for an NBA championship this season. With this kind of expectation and pressure on Dame, not just from Smith, Lillard will be the subject of major scrutiny. Especially, since the seven-time NBA All-Star hasn’t won a championship yet.

Why the Bucks need Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo loves the Bucks, but the man loves championships more. And that’s the primary reason why he hinted at putting in a trade request. Talking to the New York Times’ Tania Ganguli, Giannis’ goal for his future couldn’t be more clear.

Read More:Amid Rumored Knicks Move, Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Pocket $3,934,532 From Bucks After Decade-Long Loyalty

“I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do,” he said. “And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their second title in 2021. While Giannis certainly has age on his side, the Bucks don’t. Middleton and Lopez’s injury issues damaged the Bucks’ chances of winning the NBA championship in the last two campaigns.

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The Bucks have a solid roster entering the 2023-24 season and they should make the playoffs, but only time will tell if Antetokounmpo is comfortable staying in Milwaukee. So, it’s clear why the Milwaukee Bucks agreed on Lillard even at the expense of blowing their money.