{"id":122218,"date":"2025-02-06T00:10:46","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T05:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=122218"},"modified":"2025-02-06T00:23:49","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T05:23:49","slug":"bucks-title-chances-damian-lillard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/06\/bucks-title-chances-damian-lillard\/","title":{"rendered":"Bucks Title Chances Remain in the Hands of Dame Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0<\/span>Milwaukee Bucks traded<\/span><\/a>\u00a0away the man arguably the catalyst behind the franchise’s 2021 championship. Did it have to be done? Most likely, yes.\u00a0<\/span>Khris Middleton<\/span><\/a>\u00a0has fallen victim to a rash of injuries since Milwaukee’s title run four years ago, and given his age, the Bucks had to go younger.\u00a0<\/span>Kyle Kuzma<\/span><\/a>\u00a0provides them with an offensive threat on top of it all. While Milwaukee got better today, one critic believes that it’s not Kuzma nor\u00a0<\/span>Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/span><\/a> but\u00a0<\/span>Damian Lillard <\/span><\/a>who holds the Bucks title chances in the palm of his hands. It would appear that no trade Milwaukee makes will change this outlook.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bucks Title Chances Remain in the Hands of Dame Time<\/h2>\n

Skip Bayless Insists Bucks Championship Title Chances Come Down to Damian Lillard After Kyle Kuzma Trade<\/h3>\n

Skip Bayless, sports’ most outspoken voice and critic of the last two decades, gave the proverbial thumbs up to the Middleton-Kuzma trade. He cited that Milwaukee needed youth, and they now have some in Kuzma. The former\u00a0<\/span>Los Angeles Lakers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0champion spent the past three and a half seasons with the lowly\u00a0<\/span>Washington Wizards.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

For Kuzma, the trade is a breath of fresh air that could lead to another shot at a title. He adds instant offense and versatility at that end of the floor as a 15.2 points-per-game scorer and solid rebounder. Although, despite Kuzma’s addition, Bayless holds to the notion that the Bucks title chances remain in Dame’s hands and no one else, and said as much shortly after the trade\u00a0<\/span>[Twitter link]<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Kyle Kuzma will give the Bucks younger energy. But they\u2019ll go as far as Dame takes them. Giannis will be Giannis. But Dame must hold up his end of co-star bargain \u2013 orchestrating, making 3s, big shots. Not sure he can.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kyle Kuzma will give the Bucks younger energy. But they’ll go as far as Dame takes them. Giannis will be Giannis. But Dame must hold up his end of co-star bargain – orchestrating, making 3s, big shots. Not sure he can.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n