What becomes of Damian Lillard if Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with Bucks is in doubt?

Lillard's Milwaukee tenure has been shaky at best

On Thursday, CBS Sports' Bill Reiter reported that if things continue to go badly for the Milwaukee Bucks, there is "growing confidence across the NBA" that Giannis Antetokounmpo could become available through a trade. Since that story ran, the Bucks have lost a 122-99 game to a Memphis Grizzlies team missing two starters and six rotation players in total. That makes four consecutive double-digit Bucks losses. Two of them came against expected lottery opponents in the Nets and Bulls. They rank 24th in both offense and defense through five games. Their age, injury and defensive woes have only carried over from a season ago. Whether sooner or later, it is becoming increasingly clear that Milwaukee no longer gives Antetokounmpo his best chance to win.

It's a reality that Bucks fans haven't wanted to hear, but it's one Antetokounmpo himself has hinted at plenty himself. In an interview with Tania Ganguli of the New York Times in September of 2023, he made his priorities clear. He may want to remain a Buck, "but at the end of the day, being a winner, it's over that goal," he said. "Winning a championship comes first. I don't want to be 20 years on the same team and don't win another championship."

The possibility of a future trade request is pretty evident within that quote, but there's a notable subtext here that applies to Milwaukee's broader problems. Whether he gets traded or not, it's ultimately his choice. Antetokounmpo is good enough and young enough that he more or less controls his future. If he wants to get traded, he can probably make that happen. If he wants to go somewhere specific, he can probably make that happen too. No team is going to pass on the chance to add a two-time MVP in his prime. The ball is almost entirely in his court.