• Loading stock data...
Friday, September 5, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!

Lillard And Giannis Pairing Could Be Big For The NBA, Too

  • Bucks to be featured on national TV 19 times this season
  • Trade could help prompt Antetokounmpo to sign massive contract extension
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The trade sending NBA superstar Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks will potentially create another superteam — just as the league is in the market for a massive new domestic media rights deal.

The Bucks were already a prominent franchise thanks to their 2021 championship and two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. But beyond the benefits for the Bucks, the blockbuster three-team deal with Phoenix and Portland will be further good news for the NBA’s media partners. 

The Bucks will be featured in 19 nationally televised games this season, including an opening-night clash against Philadelphia on Oct. 26, a Christmas Day game against New York, and subsequent matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State, and Boston.

The increased hype will only help the league in its pursuit of the next cycle of media rights — and its target of $50 billion to $75 billion in aggregate rights. 

“You’re looking at more buzz, more ratings, and every big Bucks game now becoming more of an event,” Lee Berke, president and CEO of consulting company LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, told FOS. “Having another superteam definitely doesn’t hurt.”

“The NBA’s going to do fine [in the next rights deal]. They’ve got great demos, and are already in a great spot. This deal just solidifies that story a bit further,” he added.

Unsurprisingly, the trade immediately thrust the Bucks into the consensus NBA title favorite among U.S. sportsbooks and created a social media firestorm, with many fans and pundits likening the new pairing to that of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant or Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Giannis Considerations

The trade also promises to heavily impact contract talks between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The Greek-born star is eligible to sign a three-year contract extension worth about $173 million but has held off while he assesses the Bucks’ future. 

The Lillard deal follows a separate transaction this past spring in which Bucks co-owner Marc Larry sold his interest in the team to Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his Haslam Sports Group at a $3.5 billion valuation. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready to take the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

How Brazil Game Fits Into NFL’s Plans for World Domination

Friday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game in São Paulo is big by design.

TNT Sports to Try Its Own Streaming App After WBD Split

TNT Sports will have its own app as a corporate split approaches.

Torre: Key Phrases Missing in Clippers’ Pushback on Kawhi Deal

The NBA said it’s investigating the report involving the Clippers.

Featured Today

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
August 26, 2025

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Walker Cup

Prestigious Cypress Point Is Hosting Biggest Golf Event in 35 Years

Fans get a rare glimpse at one of the most exclusive courses.
September 3, 2025

Scheffler, McIlroy, but No LIV at Trump Jupiter Made-for-TV Showcase

The eight-player team showcase will take place Dec. 17 in primetime.
September 4, 2025

NBA Hopes Global Format Can Revive 2026 All-Star Game

A new, globally themed format is in development for the midseason showcase.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
Caitlin Clark
September 3, 2025

Podcast Deletes Episode With Big3 Announcer’s Claim of $15M Caitlin Clark Offer

Clark’s WNBA contract was less than $80,000 in her first season.
September 3, 2025

Barcelona, AC Milan Abroad? Fan Groups Reject Travel Plans

Supporter groups warn of a “Pandora’s box” if overseas games happen.
September 3, 2025

Roger Goodell: NFL’s Next Frontier Is More Games, More Countries

The commissioner has pushed for an 18-game season since last spring.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, left, and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift appear at the Kansas City Classic season opening game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers, Aug. 28, 2025, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. This is the first time the couple have appeared in the public since their engagement.
September 3, 2025

Roger Goodell Says Taylor Swift a ‘Maybe’ for Super Bowl LX

Halftime show announcements have recently been made in September.