This could all backfire spectacularly for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Their only goal this offseason, above all else, had to be keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. And they took a huge swing at it on Tuesday, signing center Myles Turner and waiving an injured Damian Lillard to do so.
There's a very real scenario, though, where that isn't enough.
Giannis himself posted on X: "I don't know what's going on right now."
That isn't the vibe someone gives off when they saw something coming.
NBA insider Chris Haynes posted this on X: "Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is not pleased with the team’s decision to waive Damian Lillard, league sources tell me."
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Antetokounmpo and Lillard weren't the perfect combination, and maybe they didn't live up to their hype. But in their second season together, it was clear their relationship had grown. They seemed closer as individuals and as basketball players.
The reality is that Lillard probably would never have been able to come back from an Achilles tear at his age and be the second-best player on a championship team. That doesn't mean there isn't some sentimentality for a emotion-heavy guy like Giannis who went to battle with Lillard over and over, only to watch him crumple to the floor in the playoffs with a heartbreaking injury.
Turner is an attempt to appease Giannis in the near-term. If everyone stays, the Bucks are better with Turner in 2025-26 than without him.
Milwaukee brought back Kevin Porter Jr. on Monday night, a possible lead ballhandler in the absence of Lillard.
But if Giannis isn't happy, none of that matters. And even if he convinces himself in the near-term this could work, it's not a deep Milwaukee roster.
Maybe this puts off an Antetokounmpo trade request for a little while. But it feels more likely than ever to be coming down the road, which would be an absolute disaster for the Bucks.
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