Bucks Have Highest Odds to Former Damian Lillard Teammate

Ricardo Klein | 16 Hours Ago

Nov 10, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) in the huddle with guard CJ McCollum (3) guard Anfernee Simons (1) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks could be one of the more active teams at the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Although the Bucks have turned their season around and just won the 2024 NBA Cup title, this team is clearly a move away from becoming true contenders this season. 

The Bucks are one move away from being a true contender, and they could look at bringing one of Damian Lillard’sformer teammates into the squad to put them over the top. 

According to BetOnline, the Bucks have the highest odds of landing CJ McCollum, the star guard from the New Orleans Pelicans and former teammate of Lillard with the Portland Trail Blazers. 

The Bucks are the heavy favorite to reunite Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in Milwaukee if CJ is traded from New Orleans 👀

(via @BetOnline_ag) pic.twitter.com/Q1qnAZ3Qbl

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 18, 2024

McCollum is a veteran guard who wants to be part of a contender, and the Bucks could be just that with him on the team. This season, McCollum is one of the only bright spots for the Pelicans, averaging 21.1 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 44 percent from the field and 33 percent from three in 14 games and 33.3 minutes. 

Lillard and McCollum played more than 500 regular season games together as teammates in Portland. The year after the Blazers selected Lillard in the 2012 NBA Draft with the sixth overall pick, the Blazers took McCollum with another lottery pick (No. 10) in the 2013 NBA Draft. 

The two were one of the more underrated duos in the league. McCollum moved into the starting lineup for good in the 2015-16 season, joining Lillard in the backcourt. They lead Portland to playoff appearances each of the next five seasons, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 Western Conference finals.

After that 2019 conference finals trip, they failed to make it past the first round in their next two trips to the playoffs. McCollum was traded to New Orleans during the 2022 trade deadline along with Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to New Orleans in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomáš Satoranský, Didi Louzada, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick, the better of New Orleans' and Portland's 2026 second-round draft picks and New Orleans' 2027 second-round draft pick.

Lillard was in Portland for the next year and a half before he was traded to Milwaukee during the 2023 offseason. Now, there is a chance that the two guys could reunite, but this time in the Midwest.

This could be a move that could improve the Bucks, especially on offense. 

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