AS TEAMS GATHERED ahead of training camp in September, a surprising piece of information came down the NBA rumor mill: The Milwaukee Bucks weren't just in play to acquire Damian Lillard in a trade; they had become the favorites.
How were they going to do it? This is what team front offices were attempting to figure out. It was a potentially league-altering transaction, and there was sure to be fallout.
With a jammed payroll, limited draft assets and only a couple of tradable young players, the Bucks didn't have a simple way to pull off such a blockbuster.