Jimmy Butler on joining Miami, proving he's among NBA elite

Damian Lillard has been medically cleared of his deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and is no longer required to take blood-thinning medication, sources told ESPN on Friday.

Despite this positive development, Lillard will not be available for Game 1 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Lillard will now enter a recovery phase that includes resuming contact workouts and gradually ramping up his basketball activities before returning to game action.

Lillard is averaging 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game in his second season with the Bucks. Lillard has been sidelined since March 18th, when the Bucks suffered a loss to the Golden State Warriors.

His absence represents another significant injury setback for Milwaukee, which has struggled to maintain a fully healthy roster during playoff runs since capturing the NBA championship in 2021.

The medical clearance marks an important milestone in Lillard’s recovery process, with his most recent scan showing substantial improvement in his condition.

The Bucks organization has emphasized that they are following strict medical protocols throughout Lillard’s recovery, prioritizing his long-term health over immediate playoff availability.

“Damian’s most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move ahead safely with increased basketball activity,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst in a statement this week. “Damian’s health remains our No. 1 priority. We have followed strict protocols and will continue to do so. We are pleased with the positive news about Damian’s progress.”

At the 20218 NBA draft, the Denver Nuggets attempted to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick with Luka Doncic their target selection. The Sacramento Kings held the No. 2 pick that year and picked Marvin Bagley while the Atlanta Hawks did trade down from No. 3, sending the draft rights for Doncic to the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 5 pick that became Trae Young and a first round pick in 2019 that became Cam Reddish.

“The Nuggets knew that Vlade Divac was not particularly high on Luka Doncic,” said Mike Singer on The Hoop Collective Podcast. “And they had designs on pairing Nikola Jokic with Luka Doncic. On draft night in 2018, they tried. There was a call placed. There was a proposal and the Nuggets attempted to get the No. 2 pick for Gary Harris and two first round picks was what I was told.

“You can roll your eyes at that price tag, but look in retrospect. The Kings ended up taking Marvin Bagley with the No. 2 pick. I’m not saying this trade was imminent. All I’m saying is this trade was discussed and considered because the Nuggets knew Vlade Divas was not particularly high on Luka Doncic and they tried to exploit it.

“The wrinkle in this is if the Nuggets had ever been willing to part with Jamal Murray, we have a hell of a what-if in the annals of NBA history, but that did not happen.”

The story told by Signer, a former Denver Post reporter and current employee of the Nuggets, is also from his upcoming book on Jokic title ‘Why So Serious?‘

“I was not in the room,” added Singer. “I was not in the front office at the time. All I know is it was considered, explored, vetted, and I have somebody saying anonymously ‘For 30 seconds, we thought we had Luka.’ Which is a gargantuan statement.”