Hobby Musings: Impact of Lillard’s Trade on His Cards – The Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a stunning trade to acquire former Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard. Among the companies reacting to the news is Panini America. I had the chance to catch up with Basketball Product Development Director, Brandon Kennedy, to see what the trade means for Panini.
KS: What reaction have you seen so far from the hobby community in regard to Damian Lillard becoming a Milwaukee Buck?
BK: A lot of surprise initially, and lots of early championship favorite talks after yesterday’s trade.
KS: We’re not too far off from the start of the season. How does a trade of this magnitude so close to the season affect plans you have for NBA products?
BK: It creates some changes on our end, especially for a player the caliber of Lillard. But with media day coming up, it shouldn’t pose too many issues. Some programs have already run their course, but we will update him in releases as soon as possible. Another element of the trade that makes things difficult is the fact that the Suns’ draft pick, Toumani Camara, was also dealt in the trade.
KS: When will we see Damian Lillard cards, including autographs and memorabilia cards, in a Bucks uniform?
BK: We are working on it as we speak! The hope is very soon.
KS: Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting a star-studded teammate. What do you think this trade means for his hobby value?
BK: The Bucks will have more eyes on their team this year than ever before. If the two superstars are able to perform at their highest levels together, this trade should generate a lot of hype around both of their cards.
KS: What does Panni have coming up for NBA products?
BK: We have a few 22-23 Programs to wrap up the release year, including Flux, Noir, National Treasures, One and One, Immaculate Collection and Flawless. These programs will deliver a lot of content that you won’t want to miss out on. We have some very special things planned for these end-of-year releases. It goes without mentioning, that 23-24 Programs are right behind the final 22-23 Releases, leading off with 23-24 Hoops BK, set to release in early November. Hoops will be followed by 23-24 Prizm, which is currently slated for mid-December. The Basketball team has lots of new developments as of the past couple of months that collectors should be on the lookout for!
Hobby Musings: Impact of Lillard’s Trade on His Cards – Image Gallery
Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on collecting in Hobby Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
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