The Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard on Wednesday.
The Boston Celtics answered by trading for Jrue Holiday, whom the Bucks reluctantly surrendered to land Lillard, on Sunday.
The Bucks now have one of the league’s most enviable star duos in Giannis Antetokounmpo teamed with Lillard, Khris Middleton as a dangerous third wheel and a slew of defensive-minded role players (led by Brook Lopez) — but a clear hole on the perimeter defensively without Holiday.
Trader Brad Stevens’ Celtics, meanwhile, have essentially surrendered Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Rob Williams and Grant Williams this offseason to acquire Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis. There will be considerable pressure on Porziņģis now to stay healthy after the departures of Williams and Williams.
So …
Who is the favorite to win the Eastern Conference?
Until Sunday, Milwaukee was running unopposed in this race. Boston’s ability to swoop in and acquire Holiday and throw him right back in the Bucks’ face is bound to change the equation in some corners.
I still give the (slight) edge to Milwaukee, largely because the Celtics are likely to need more time to adjust to their more dramatic changes, but let’s hear where you stand. Weigh in below!
PS — The first-ever reader survey in the history of The Stein Line remains open for more day. Click here to participate.
Love this deal for Boston. Yes, there are concerns with depth on the front court, but their back court is STACKED. I would put them up against anybody in the East in a 7-game series. If on the off chance KP stays healthy all year (and they can maybe nab a veteran big man on the cheap somewhere), I think they can win it all.
Milwaukee is 1. If porzingis miraculously stays healthy Cs have a shot. But I don't like the trades they have made overall Unless they somehow shore up the front court. They will get killed inside. Pressure is really on brown and tatum now.
Two reactions to the commentary I've seen here so far ...
1. It's some of the most well-rounded discussion we've ever had on any thread. Good stuff ...
2. The fact that there are only 11 comments after several hours tells me that our community is a bit more accustomed these days to having these discussions in Substack Chat. Interesting data ...
The Celtics have gone full Viking-in-the-new-world and burned the ships. This is their championship team NOW. Jrue is a great replacement for Marcus, but they lose the depth in the backcourt that Brogdon provided, and with White starting the guard is Pritchard and Svi. Does Lou Will have enough left to come out of retirement? Would Trader Dan accept future assets for Kris Dunn? Maybe Mike Conley on a buyout at the trade deadline?
Net result of KP and Jrue for Marcus, Malcolm, Time Lord, (and Grant Williams gone) only improves the starting five - barely - and leaves the bench a big question mark. Not much wiggle room, given the two firsts in the Holiday deal. Celtics need another center, Bismarck Biyombo? Maybe Andre Drummond from the Bulls for two seconds and Kornet.
The Celtics have joined the list of contenders that have to rely on a star player who's likely to be injured for huge chunks of the season: Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans...
It's all about the health: No major injuries for either team. The wildest wild card is KP, of course. If he plays 60 games (or so), the conference is a dead heat.
A lot of Opponents 140 - Celtics 120 games. No defense, like Mazzulla likes it.
Celtics have become a 30-35 win bad team. All the Mazzulla dissidents have been traded away. They were the ones who played defense. My heart goes out to Derrick White for being stuck with a bunch of stiffs.
I don't see how this really moves the needle for the Celtics. They're heavily, heavily reliant on KP now and he's not been the most reliable guy in the past. Jrue is great at a lot of things, but he's not the guy to un-gum the Celtics' offense late in games, which has been a big issue for them. He's basically a better version of Marcus Smart, whom they couldn't get over the hump with, and he doesn't have the familiarity/chemistry that Marcus did with the others.
Jrue was EXACTLY the guy BOS needed … he more than offsets Marcus Smart and it will be tough to find two better perimeter defenders in the same lineup than he and Derrick White. KP needs to play 65-70 games and be healthy come April. We’re looking at two possible 60 win teams w/MIL and BOS.
I think Milwaukee has the edge, but agreed that it’s close. After those two, the East is wide open.
Love this deal for Boston. Yes, there are concerns with depth on the front court, but their back court is STACKED. I would put them up against anybody in the East in a 7-game series. If on the off chance KP stays healthy all year (and they can maybe nab a veteran big man on the cheap somewhere), I think they can win it all.
Milwaukee is 1. If porzingis miraculously stays healthy Cs have a shot. But I don't like the trades they have made overall Unless they somehow shore up the front court. They will get killed inside. Pressure is really on brown and tatum now.
Two reactions to the commentary I've seen here so far ...
1. It's some of the most well-rounded discussion we've ever had on any thread. Good stuff ...
2. The fact that there are only 11 comments after several hours tells me that our community is a bit more accustomed these days to having these discussions in Substack Chat. Interesting data ...
The Celtics have gone full Viking-in-the-new-world and burned the ships. This is their championship team NOW. Jrue is a great replacement for Marcus, but they lose the depth in the backcourt that Brogdon provided, and with White starting the guard is Pritchard and Svi. Does Lou Will have enough left to come out of retirement? Would Trader Dan accept future assets for Kris Dunn? Maybe Mike Conley on a buyout at the trade deadline?
Net result of KP and Jrue for Marcus, Malcolm, Time Lord, (and Grant Williams gone) only improves the starting five - barely - and leaves the bench a big question mark. Not much wiggle room, given the two firsts in the Holiday deal. Celtics need another center, Bismarck Biyombo? Maybe Andre Drummond from the Bulls for two seconds and Kornet.
The Celtics have joined the list of contenders that have to rely on a star player who's likely to be injured for huge chunks of the season: Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans...
It's all about the health: No major injuries for either team. The wildest wild card is KP, of course. If he plays 60 games (or so), the conference is a dead heat.
A lot of Opponents 140 - Celtics 120 games. No defense, like Mazzulla likes it.
Celtics have become a 30-35 win bad team. All the Mazzulla dissidents have been traded away. They were the ones who played defense. My heart goes out to Derrick White for being stuck with a bunch of stiffs.
Milwaukee and Boston are really in their own version of an Eastern Conference "Cold War".
I don't see how this really moves the needle for the Celtics. They're heavily, heavily reliant on KP now and he's not been the most reliable guy in the past. Jrue is great at a lot of things, but he's not the guy to un-gum the Celtics' offense late in games, which has been a big issue for them. He's basically a better version of Marcus Smart, whom they couldn't get over the hump with, and he doesn't have the familiarity/chemistry that Marcus did with the others.
Bucks are still the team to beat IMO
Jrue was EXACTLY the guy BOS needed … he more than offsets Marcus Smart and it will be tough to find two better perimeter defenders in the same lineup than he and Derrick White. KP needs to play 65-70 games and be healthy come April. We’re looking at two possible 60 win teams w/MIL and BOS.