The Milwaukee Bucks are undergoing major changes after their 2025 NBA Playoff run ended in disaster.
Star guard Damian Lillard suffered a devastating Achilles tendon tear, an injury that will sideline him for the majority of the 2025-26 season. With the franchise in full win-now mode alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks couldn’t afford to wait.
In a surprising turn during the heart of the 2025 NBA Free Agency, Milwaukee reached an agreement with veteran center Myles Turner on a four-year, $107 million deal. Given the team’s salary cap constraints, the signing raised immediate questions among fans and analysts alike.
The Bucks had no obvious path to create the space required for a deal of that magnitude until the real reason surfaced.
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Dame Time done in Milwaukee
According to reports from Shams Charania and ESPN sources, the Bucks will waive Lillard and apply the league’s stretch provision to the $113 million remaining on his contract.
The move frees up substantial cap flexibility, enabling the Turner acquisition while signaling the end of Lillard’s tenure in Milwaukee.
Just in: The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving Damian Lillard and stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract in order to acquire Myles Turner, sources tell ESPN. Lillard's two seasons in Milwaukee come to an end as he rehabilitates a torn Achilles tendon. pic.twitter.com/eg1D1TMFM6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Lillard’s stint with the Bucks lasted just two seasons. During the 2024–25 campaign, he averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. His injury, however, drastically altered Milwaukee’s trajectory, prompting this bold and controversial roster shake-up.
With Lillard now a free agent and on the road to recovery, the question becomes where he’ll land next. Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s front office has made it clear: the championship window remains open, and they’re not waiting around.
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