Damian Lillard’s season, and maybe even his career, came to a heartbreaking end last night after the Bucks’ point guard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon. What makes this especially painful is the fact that he just returned from a blood clot two games ago, and the Bucks are all but eliminated from the playoffs with a 3-1 deficit to the Pacers. With Dame expected to be out for at least six months and likely more, there are serious questions about the Bucks’ future.
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Gary Payton joined Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson on Nightcap to discuss how the Milwaukee side will look to continue next year and beyond, and the Glove had a bold prediction for Lillard’s future in the league, especially with the Bucks staring down the barrel of elimination.
Of course, a gentleman’s sweep looks like the most likely outcome of this series. Despite a huge Game 3 where they managed to claw back a singular game, the Bucks were thoroughly beaten in Game 4, losing by a whopping 26 points. Given how the first two games of the series turned out, there seems to be little hope that they’ll be able to force a game 6.
“I think they’re gonna retool this whole team,” Payton said. “I don’t even think Dame’s gonna be there next year, I’m gonna be honest with you. It’s something that they gotta retool, this team is not the same. If they get beat 4-1 this series, I think they’re gonna retool everything Shan.”
Sharpe, for one, seemed taken aback that Payton predicted an entire reshuffle of the roster for the Bucks, especially because Johnson also predicted a departure for franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo if they go on to lose.
This likely ends an entire era of Bucks basketball. There is no one who would trade for a nearly 35 year old months off of one of the most major injuries in all of sports. After a disastrous trade for Kyle Kuzma, the team is also completely devoid of picks and young talent to make any potentially roster-saving trades.
Damian Lillard’s career is potentially in jeopardy
Recovering from an Achilles injury at any age is difficult enough, but for an undersized point guard in his mid-30s, these injuries can potentially be the end to a career. Payton knows Dame’s family because of their Oakland roots, and as he told Sharpe and Ochocinco on the podcast, it doesn’t look too good for the point guard.
“I grew up with his pops, we got the same agent, and I got the message from there that it doesn’t look really, really good,” he said. “Dame just getting back from the injury that he had; he had one game back, it doesn’t look really, really good.”
Lillard’s head coach, Doc Rivers, also spoke about his injury, claiming that Dame didn’t deserve the pain he was going through.
"This is a tough one, honestly. Blood clot, followed by [Achilles]. … He's just a great freakin' dude, as a teammate and a father. No one deserves it." ❤️
Doc Rivers speaks on Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/zt1XKVcmTv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 28, 2025
Recovering from a blood clot in almost a month is unheard of, and Damian Lillard provided some tough leadership and grit for the Bucks in their Game 3 win. Losing him while fighting for their season was a killing blow for the 2021 champions, and it looks almost certain that their championship window may have firmly shut for the foreseeable future.
