NBA fans were blindsided Tuesday morning when it was revealed the Milwaukee Bucks had waived veteran point guard Damian Lillard, who notably tore his Achilles during the Bucks' first-round playoff exit vs. the Indiana Pacers. And according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Lillard was just as shocked by the development as everybody else.
Speaking on Tuesday's edition of NBA TV, Haynes said he spoke with Lillard briefly that morning and noted that the point guard was "surprised" to hear the news.
"The Bucks did recently go out there to Portland to meet with Dame, but they did not tell Dame that this was coming. He had no clue about that, as well," Haynes said. "I was told that Dame found out about his situation just like everybody else found out. So you can read into that as you may, but at the end of the day, he's going to be a free agent for the first time ever in his career. He's going to have the opportunity to choose his own team."
Haynes said Lillard is in a "good place mentally" as he continues his rehab, but "there's definitely things that could have been done and handled differently, for sure."
The insider also added that Lillard's representation had been "bracing" Dame for the possibility of being waived, but the group still "did not know this was coming right now. They found out today."
Watch that below:
"He was surprised. ... [The Bucks] did not tell Dame that this was coming... I was told that Dame found out about his situation just like everybody else found out."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 1, 2025
Chris Haynes on Damian Lillard being waived by Milwaukee 😬pic.twitter.com/qi4cxarJEy
For what it's worth, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was also said to be upset by the development, according to Haynes.
There are a few teams believed to be on the hunt for veteran help at the guard position, so perhaps Dame will find a new home relatively quickly. As Haynes later added, a few franchises have apparently already reached out.
In another bombshell move, the Bucks also on Tuesday agreed to a four-year deal with longtime Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Damian Lillard Had Same Reaction As Most NBA Fans to Getting Waived by Bucks.
