The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving Damian Lillard after acquiring Myles Turner via trade, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.
The Bucks are stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract over the next five seasons in order to trade for Turner, which allows them to retain future draft assets rather than package them in a Lillard trade, per Charania. Milwaukee acquired Turner on a four-year, $107 million contract.
Lillard, who turns 35 later this month, is currently rehabbing a torn Achilles tendon he suffered during Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks will owe Lillard over $22 million per year over the next five years.
Lillard's waive-and-stretch marks the latest aggressive move from the Bucks' brass, who appear to be retooling their roster around star Giannis Antetokounmpo with Antetokounmpo set to hit free agency in 2028.
Lillard spent 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Bucks in a blockbuster trade in September 2023. The veteran guard has averaged 24.6 points while shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc over his last two years in Milwaukee.
His final season with the Bucks in 2024–25 was unfortunately plagued by injuries: Lillard was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf that caused him to miss the end of the Bucks' regular season. Lillard miraculously returned to action a month later for the playoffs, but he tore his left Achilles during the Bucks' series against the Pacers and underwent surgery in May.
It remains unclear when Lillard will return to the court and seems likely that he could miss the entire 2025–26 season as he recovers from surgery. The Bucks made the stunning but rational decision to move on from an aging star who may not look like his All-Star self when he's finally healthy, and instead bring in younger pieces to build around Antetokounmpo for the future.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bucks Waive Damian Lillard After Two Seasons.
