The Bucks trading for Damian Lillard is looking worse by the day

Collecting stars can help a team reach a certain floor, but the Milwaukee Bucks are learning that taking this approach may not enhance a group's ceiling.

After trading for Damian Lillard last October, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks felt as though they would be in prime position to win the Eastern Conference and win the NBA Finals for the first time since 2021. The experiment looks like a failure, especially given the team's poor start this season.

The results have been so poor that there are rumors that Giannis could be looking to force his way out of the situation.

It is not as if a 2-7 start would be enough to warrant an immediate proclamation that the Giannis-Dame experiment has failed. But, two-straight first round exits and the hiring of head coach Doc Rivers have forced the duo into a situation where anything less than a stellar campaign would be frowned upon.

The Bucks trading for Damian Lillard is looking worse by the day

While Khris Middleton is still out indefinitely with an injured ankle, it would be fair to assume that Giannis and Dame should be able to get the Bucks to a better initial record. Through seven games, Milwaukee is 27th in assists and 20th in points per game. Further, they have allowed the 8th-most points per game thus far.

Both Giannis and Dame are ball-dominant players. Both can make eloquent passes from time to time, but it is not as if either player is a true facilitator at heart. Dame has collected more assists per game thus far, but there is not another truly influential Buck who is a true passer.

Jrue Holiday averaged 6.8 assists from 2021-2023 as a member of the Bucks, and while he had to be dealt in order to bring on Dame, the team lost key passing and defense in the process. It is likely that the front office felt that their new pairing would be able to use isolation basketball as a primary weapon.

Today's NBA has shown that while this style can work on certain possesions, it should not be a driving strategy. The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and New York Knicks have each tried to construct rosters that boast both strong playmakers and individuals who can pass the rock. Defensively, these same teams have a strong perimeter presence and do not concede easy buckets.

The season is a long and arduous grind. It is fully possible that the Bucks could turn things around, but Giannis and Dame will have to find a better chemistry on offense in addition to helping sharpen the squad's lackluster defense.