On the surface, the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to cut ties with Damian Lillard was shocking. However, after learning everything that was going on behind the scenes, such as the Bucks preparing to look at trade scenarios and Lillard's rumored desire to always wind back up in Portland, the move to cut bait and begin a new era makes plenty of sense.
Bucks, Lillard were seemingly destined to split
Things may have looked different in Milwaukee right now had Damian Lillard not torn his Achilles in the playoffs. Per ESPN's Jamal Collier, a last-ditch scenario involving trading Lillard in an attempt to find another star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo was potentially being considered. The Bucks clearly were not entirely sold on the fit between the two, despite their big numbers.
Even though they were the highest scoring duo in the NBA, they never clicked to the level that fans thought they could. Sure, injuries played a significant part in that, but even when they shared the court, things weren't perfect. Lillard was never the off-ball player that Jrue Holiday was, as the latter could always turn the tide of a game with his defense. Lillard could not.
Yet, Lillard's future in Milwaukee was seemingly up in the air long before talks about the fit began.
Collier noted that months after the trade went down, Lillard's agent and Blazers general manager Joe Cronin reconciled and made it clear that they didn't have any hard feelings. That conversation planted early seeds of Lillard's return, as the star guard has since made it clear that he never felt comfortable being away from Portland and his loved ones.
Even before the trade to Milwaukee, Lillard had a desire to finish his career in Portland. Collier notes that the guard would have even returned to Portland after initially requesting out.
All of that was before Lillard tore his Achilles, which will cost him all of next season. That injury was the final nail in the coffin for a franchise that was not willing to gamble with a year of Giannis' prime. They had an opportunity to add a perfect fit at center in Myles Turner, and they jumped at it. Sure, taking on Lillard's dead money from cutting him is not ideal, but neither is having an injured star on the roster when the team is all-in now.
At the end of the day, rather than waiting and seeing how Lillard, whose desire to return to Portland would still linger, might look upon returning late next season, it continues to make sense that they moved on to add Myles Turner to the roster.
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