Reactions flood in following trade involving Damian Lillard, Deandre Ayton

There’s nothing like a massive midweek blockbuster trade to really set the NBA landscape ablaze, as seen Wednesday with the Portland Trail Blazers shipping off point guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal that includes the Phoenix Suns.

As part of the trade, the Suns sent center Deandre Ayton and rookie Toumani Camara to the Trail Blazers in exchange for big man Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson. Phoenix also received Grayson Allen from Milwaukee.

The Bucks meanwhile dealt away point guard and 2021 Finals champion Jrue Holiday to the Blazers in addition to a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and a pair of future pick swaps.

So naturally, the NBA world quickly caught fire with the news of all the moving pieces, giving us some top-notch reactions in the process.

The casuals won’t be addressed but the trailblazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be … and they will be addressed truthfully. Stay tuned

Excited for my next chapter! @Bucks 🎟️

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) September 27, 2023

“Yo NBA man, y’all need to look into the Bucks for tampering… Y’all didn’t hear it from me, but I heard it from somebody.”

Jimmy Butler speaks on Damian Lillard being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks 😅

(via @JimmyButler / IG)pic.twitter.com/fDBMSEHN3h

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 27, 2023

Suns got nas and nurk with a shooter Sheesh

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) September 27, 2023

Deandre Ayton is up there for me when it comes to players I’ve covered. He was never afraid to be honest (especially when we needed it) and the unpredictability of that in other ways kept things fun. So many great quotes over the years. Wishing him well in Portland!

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) September 27, 2023

Jusuf Nurkic was better than Deandre Ayton last season, by all the advanced metrics.

Around Booker, Beal, and Durant, you need a center to grab rebounds and set screens. The dirty work.

And Nurkic shot 36% from three on 119 attempts.

Read: Brook Lopez.

— Xin Varlock (@XinNBA) September 27, 2023

Last but not least the Portland Trailblazers got a huge return acquiring Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, and 3 picks 2028
in 2029 and 2030.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 27, 2023

Congratulations to all the Deandre Ayton stans who will now obviously be Trailblazers fans right?

— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) September 27, 2023

Moving Deandre Ayton for a guy that seems to clearly be a downgrade at C is questionable to say the least (even if there’s more pieces added).

That trade tells me one thing, the driving factor was that both parties have just agreed it’s time to part ways.

— Suns Are Better (@SunsAreBetter) September 27, 2023

Entire world focused on Dame and Giannis while Grayson Allen going iso with the game on the line as KD/Booker/Beal stare in disbelief is right there.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) September 27, 2023

lol https://t.co/DpozvaxTCH

— Grayson Allen (@GraysonJAllen) September 27, 2023

A day later. Wow. https://t.co/zT9j8OxhUz

— Kofie 🔜 TwitchCon Vegas (@Kofie) September 27, 2023

There is a sense of relief that the Deandre Ayton experiment is over in Phoenix. It was tiring for all parties involved.

Wish him the best in Portland. Glad he gets a clean slate.

— Zona (@AZSportsZone) September 27, 2023

I’m beginning to think Ryan McDonough made an error in selecting Deandre Ayton with the #1 overall pick in 2018.

— Scott Howard (@ScottHoward42) September 27, 2023

Pretty mediocre trade but at least we don’t have to watch/argue about Deandre Ayton anymore.

— Max (@maxmcc11) September 27, 2023

goodbye deandre ayton pic.twitter.com/WJCYoJn75s

— tristan (@krogerbrand) September 27, 2023

Can’t believe it didnt work out💔 Thanks for all the memories @DeandreAyton you will forever be a suns legend in my eyes.
pic.twitter.com/dEbHwtZJwy

— CJ (@BridgesDPOY) September 27, 2023

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