One of the most eyebrow-raising shake-ups in this year’s NBA offseason was the waiving of superstar Damian Lillard. The Milwaukee Bucks chose to stretch his $113 million contract over five years, as he recovers from a torn Achilles that will likely keep him sidelined until 2026. But why would the Bucks let go of a nine-time All-Star?
Advertisement
Initial reports following Lillard’s release suggested that Giannis Antetokounmpo was unhappy with the Bucks’ front office. This fueled speculation about a potential exit, with teams like the Golden State Warriors, the Toronto Raptors, and the New York Knicks (among others) reportedly interested in the Greek Freak.
Lillard’s departure cleared valuable cap space, which the Bucks used to bring in Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. It’s a clear move to maximize their title window with Antetokounmpo still on the roster. Meanwhile, the front office remains well aware of the growing noise around offers for Giannis from other teams. Connecting these dots, former NBA player Jim Jackson feels Lillard’s waiving had something to do with Antetokounmpo.
The former shooting guard shared his take on Podcast P with Paul George. Jackson wondered whether the Bucks approached Giannis about the decision on Dame, and instead of standing up for his teammate, the star forward may have simply let the front office handle it.
“If management comes to you and says, ‘What do you think about [the] coach, or [are] we gonna do this or we may fire him?’, and your star player is like, ‘Well you got to do what you go to do as an organization’. He’s not saying no that you’ve got to fire him,” speculated Jackson. “But he’s not saying, ‘Yes, I advocate for him’.”
Jackson then explained how that non-answer was probably all the Bucks needed to waive Dame. “Did you really advocate to have this person stay? Or did you just kind of let the organization when they asked you the question do what they have to do. You can’t play that in-between,” he added.
While the theory is interesting, Jackson may be overlooking one key fact: Giannis and Lillard have grown quite close as friends. Sure, it’s possible Antetokounmpo stayed quiet because Dame was injured, but it’s even more likely that he was unhappy with Milwaukee’s decision.
Dame spoke about growing close to Giannis in 2023
When ‘Dame Time’ was traded from Portland to Milwaukee in the fall of 2023, the expectations were sky-high. Many believed the Bucks were poised to become a dominant force in the East. But much of that hinged on whether Lillard and Giannis could build chemistry.
Fortunately for Bucks fans, the two clicked right away. Dame had even mentioned that they talked all the time and, while they weren’t best friends, he felt they were building something special together.
“We have a good relationship. We talk all the time,” Dame said during an interview with Chris Haynes. “[Relationships] take time. You have to go through the process of having a relationship… But because we are stars, we have to be able to work together, and we have to continue to get better at it.”
The Bucks did show flashes of brilliance in the Lillard and Giannis era. The team won the 2024 NBA Cup and looked like a tough contender for the postseason. But then Dame got hurt, came back, and got hurt even worse, and the Pacers stuck a nail in the coffin by knocking the Bucks out in the first round.
It’s a shame because a healthy Dame is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league, especially during the postseason. He can perhaps write his redemption story, but at 34 years old, he is also running out of time.
As for Giannis? He now has a new shiny toy in Turner, whom the Bucks acquired from Indy. Turner has signed for four years and will hopefully be the missing piece for a team that has been knocked out in the first round the last three postseasons.
Giannis’s 2021 title win seems much further away, but perhaps this shake-up would reignite the team’s chances. After all, the business of basketball always trumps loyalty, especially if the team wins.
