Wow! We did not expect the Milwaukee Bucks to waive Damian Lillard and sign Myles Turner. No "gap year" this year. Although the front office thought they were helping Giannis Antetokounmpo contend, they may have just upset him.
Reports suggest Giannis is not happy with the Dame treatment
Moments after the news broke, NBA insider Chris Haynes took to X to say that Giannis is not happy with the team's decision to waive Lillard.
All offseason, there has been media noise around Giannis, but the two-time MVP has stayed true to himself and constantly said he wants to be in Milwaukee. Jon Horst and the front office clearly made the move to try and contend in a weak Eastern Conference, but it may have backfired.
Giannis wanted Dame in Milwaukee, and despite the team's failing over the last two seasons, Giannis and Dame have been one of, if not the best, duos in the NBA. Giannis forever remained confident in his teammate during some tough stretches with the Bucks and continually backed him to be successful in helping the team.
It is an incredibly bold move by the Bucks, with them stretching the remaining $113 million on Lillard's contract across the next five seasons, to sign Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal. Turner is someone a lot of fans have pointed towards as the perfect frontcourt partner for Giannis, and now, we will see the two in action.
However, Giannis doesn't come across as someone who would appreciate a teammate of his being waived during what will be a very tough year for Lillard, with him expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season. There will be phone calls and meetings going on right now in the franchise as to how the front office came to this conclusion.
It is also an intriguing strategy for the Bucks to be spending 45 percent of their cap space on Giannis, Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Lillard over the next two years. They still have the mid-level exception to use this season, and the team is willing to do whatever to try to contend in Giannis' prime.
Who knows what is next for Lillard? Rehab will, of course, be his top priority, but teams will already be on the phone to his agent about getting him tied down to their team for when he returns. The money is taken care of by the Bucks, so there is no need for him to even bargain for a huge deal. At 34 and after almost a year out, he will likely sign a very cheap deal on a contending team and propel them towards a title.
Jon Horst makes bold moves; he makes risky moves. Turner is the perfect frontcourt partner for Giannis, but how they got there may not sit well with their franchise superstar.