Damian Lillard, a seven-time All-Star guard, will be traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team deal that also includes the Phoenix Suns, the franchise said on Wednesday.
On social media, Lillard declared that he was “excited” for the coming chapter.
“The Trailblazers fans and the city of Portland, which I sincerely adore, will be handled, and they will be addressed honestly. The casuals won’t be addressed. Remain tuned. eagerly await my next chapter! Lillard wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “@Bucks.”
Lillard, who performs as Dame D.O.L.L.A off the court and moonlights as a rapper, also recorded a song titled “Farewell” after the trade was announced in which he bids farewell to Portland.
In the song, he declares, “To the fans, dude, I love you, it’s unconditional.
I hope you remember all the things you got to sit and watch, he says, adding, “I leave at ease because I know, in the end, that this is business.
According to his agent Aaron Goodwin, Lillard asked the team that selected him more than ten years ago to move him in July. Lillard intended to play for the Miami Heat, according to Goodwin at the time.
Point guard Jrue Holiday, future draft selections from Milwaukee, center Deandre Ayton, and forward Toumani Camara from Phoenix will all be acquired by the Trail Blazers.
Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, and Grayson Allen, all guards, are going to the Suns from Portland, Milwaukee, and Portland, respectively.
Joe Cronin, general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers, said in a statement, “On behalf of the entire Portland Trail Blazers Organization, I want to offer my thanks to Damian for 11 illustrious years with our team and for his devotion to the Portland community. “Damian is and will be a giant and a real pathfinder to this community, from becoming the all-time top points scorer in team history to his passionate devotion to youngsters across Oregon and the whole Pacific Northwest.
In addition, Cronin thanked Jusuf Nurkic for his service to Portland over the previous seven seasons. “Nurk has been a key leader for this team and is a consummate professional on and off the court. We appreciate his dedication and passion for this franchise, the city, and the fans.”
Cronin said, “We wish Dame, Nurk, Keon, and Nas much success going forward.”
Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game over his 11 seasons in the Rose City.
The 33-year-old’s 32.2 points per game average over 58 games last year was his greatest scoring season to date.
Lillard was selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Weber State University. Lillard eventually won the 2012–2013 NBA Rookie of the Year award without a single objection.
