The basketball world reeled Tuesday morning after the Milwaukee Bucks orchestrated a series of stunning roster moves. Headlining the surprise was the report from ESPN’s Shams Charania that the Bucks reached an agreement on a four-year, $107 million contract with center Myles turner, formerly of the Indiana Pacers. This move sent shockwaves, not least because Milwaukee lacked the necessary salary cap space to sign a player of Turner’s caliber without drastic action.
To carve out the room needed for Turner, the top center available in free agency, the Bucks made the extraordinary decision to waive future Hall of Famer Damian Lillard. Lillard, an All-Star during his two seasons in Milwaukee, was still owed over $110 million for the final two years of his contract. This maneuver instantly ignited intense debate and prompted sharp reactions across the league landscape.
The Pacers, meanwhile, lost their longest-tenured player just after making their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. Turner had been a key piece for an Indiana squad that eliminated the Bucks from the playoffs in the first round during the previous two seasons. Before the conclusion of the NBA Finals, many observers believed Indiana was positioned as a leading contender in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming season. However, a torn Achilles injury suffered by star guard Tyrese Haliburton and now Turner’s departure have fundamentally altered the Pacers’ trajectory. The East race, already wide open and featuring teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks prominently, has become even more unpredictable following additional significant moves by franchises such as the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.
With the acquisition of Turner, the Bucks signaled their belief that they remain firmly in that competitive mix. This latest move represents another high-stakes gamble designed to maximize the championship window around superstar giannis Antetokounmpo during his prime. This decision carries significant ramifications that will resonate throughout the NBA. League insiders were quick to voice their reactions, many expressing skepticism and even alarm at Milwaukee’s strategy.
Why the Bucks Made the Move
The pressure to win in Milwaukee is constant, driven by the presence of a generational talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo. After suffering first-round playoff exits in three consecutive seasons, including a decisive five-game defeat to the Pacers in the most recent postseason, that pressure reached a boiling point.
During the recent playoff series, Lillard sustained an Achilles tear, leaving the Bucks with a substantial financial commitment ($54 million this season) to an injured player and limited draft capital to improve the roster. Giannis has publicly stated his ambition to win multiple championships. Earlier in the summer, reports indicated that Antetokounmpo intended to closely monitor the team’s offseason activities as he evaluated whether Milwaukee remained his best path to achieving his title aspirations.
Rather than simply re-signing their existing players – notably losing starting center Brook Lopez to the LA Clippers shortly before this news broke – the Bucks executed the most surprising move of the offseason. They identified Turner as a younger alternative to Lopez, possessing a similar, highly valued skillset.
The Financial Fallout: A “Reckless” Decision?
The stunning aspect of Tuesday’s move was twofold: securing Turner and, more controversially, how they did it. Creating the necessary salary cap space involved waiving Lillard and utilizing the “stretch provision” on his remaining contract, valued at over $110 million. This specific financial maneuver drew sharp criticism from rival executives.
“Reckless,” one executive reportedly stated, summarizing a sentiment shared by others around the league.
Another executive was equally blunt: “That’s a move you talk yourself into in the boardroom in July when you have nowhere else to go,” they remarked. “And you turn a bad situation into a worse one. They’re going to look at this in two years and say, ‘What did we do?'”
Turner was indeed a crucial player for Indiana during their Finals run, offering the coveted combination of effective rim protection and dangerous 3-point shooting from a seven-footer. Brook Lopez provided this exact pairing alongside Antetokounmpo for Milwaukee over several successful seasons, making him an ideal frontcourt partner for Giannis.
While Turner is eight years younger than Lopez, their on-court production last season was remarkably similar statistically. However, Turner is now set to earn significantly more – roughly three times Lopez’s salary – before accounting for the more than $22 million in annual roster charges that will burden Milwaukee’s salary cap for the next five seasons due to stretching Lillard’s deal.
Once a team stretches a player’s salary, the commitment is fixed. The Bucks cannot trade or reduce this obligation; it remains on their books until it expires. Effectively, the Bucks are incurring over $50 million in annual costs (Lillard’s stretched salary plus Turner’s new deal) for the right to roster Turner. Meanwhile, the team must still find ways to replace Lillard’s substantial offensive production (24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 38% 3-point shooting last season) on a roster that finished fifth in the Eastern Conference the previous year.
Impact on the Indiana Pacers
Indiana had given strong indications throughout their playoff run that they intended to re-sign Turner. He had spent his entire 10-year career with the franchise and had become a core part of the team’s identity and locker room culture.
However, retaining Turner would have pushed the Pacers into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years. Whenever Indiana suggested they were comfortable paying the tax, rival teams reportedly questioned if this was genuine or merely posturing to suppress Turner’s market value. Turner was the top unrestricted free agent center in an offseason with limited cap space across the league.
No one anticipated the Bucks manufacturing salary cap space to pursue Turner. Once they did, they gained the ability to outbid Indiana. Negotiations were already complicated by the Minnesota Timberwolves signing Naz Reid, a backup center, to a five-year, $125 million contract shortly before. Turner, a starter on a Finals team, justifiably felt his value exceeded Reid’s $25 million annual salary.
Despite coming off one of his best regular seasons, Turner struggled in the later playoff rounds, particularly in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he averaged 10.6 points on poor shooting percentages (37.7% overall, 21.4% from three). Still, his unique skillset remains difficult to replicate. As one rival assistant coach bewilderedly asked Tuesday afternoon, “Why didn’t they pay him?”
While the immediate future for Indiana has taken a hit with Haliburton’s injury and Turner’s departure, these events could potentially benefit the franchise’s long-term outlook. With Haliburton likely sidelined for the next season and the Pacers controlling their 2026 first-round draft pick, a step back could yield a higher draft selection when Haliburton is ready to return.
Indiana’s options to replace Turner from the remaining free agent pool are now thin. One notable player recently available is Deandre Ayton, the former No. 1 pick who was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers. This situation is particularly notable given that Indiana previously signed Ayton to an offer sheet in 2022 before the Phoenix Suns matched it. The Pacers also extended a qualifying offer to Isaiah Jackson, a young, athletic center recovering from an Achilles tear, suggesting he will feature in their center rotation next season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Future
The question of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long-term commitment has loomed over the Bucks since 2020. That year, General Manager Jon Horst made a significant move, acquiring Jrue Holiday, to help convince Giannis to stay, a transaction that directly contributed to the team’s 2021 NBA championship. Three years later, Horst leveraged Holiday as a primary asset to acquire Damian Lillard from Portland.
Now, it appears Horst has attempted a similar maneuver by bringing in Turner. Turner’s ability to provide floor spacing and rim protection is seen as essential to maximizing Antetokounmpo’s effectiveness, especially as Giannis is under contract for significant amounts in the coming seasons ($54.1M in 2025-26, $58.4M in 2026-27, with a $62.7M player option for 2027-28).
Giannis finished the last regular season strongly, taking on point guard duties while Lillard was sidelined with a calf injury. This experience suggested he is likely to reprise that primary ball-handling role. Antetokounmpo has expressed interest in evolving into a point forward, comparing himself to other elite players who serve as offensive hubs. “I always felt like that would be my last phase,” he said in April after the playoff exit. “As a guy that can playmake and can set up a team, be like a legit point forward out there.”
In the final weeks of the season without Lillard, Antetokounmpo posted remarkable averages: 33.4 points, 15.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, shooting 60% from the field. These numbers hint at the potential he could reach next season with increased ball-handling responsibilities. This performance could position him for a third Most Valuable Player award, provided he can lead the Bucks to sufficient wins and manage the immense workload. However, sources close to Shams Charania reportedly indicated that Giannis was “NOT happy” with the decision to waive Lillard for Turner, introducing uncertainty about his satisfaction despite apparent on-court fit with Turner. While other reports suggest Antetokounmpo and Turner are excited to play together, the conflicting information highlights the delicate balance the Bucks front office must strike.
What’s Next for Damian Lillard?
This sequence of events marks an unceremonious end to Damian Lillard’s two-year tenure in Milwaukee. His pairing with Antetokounmpo, a highly anticipated superstar duo formed in the summer of 2023, ultimately never reached its projected heights. The Bucks posted a solid 73-43 record in regular season games with both stars playing together. However, they shared the court for only three playoff games, the last of which ended with Lillard suffering a torn Achilles.
While it may not feel like a fitting conclusion, sources suggest this outcome might represent the most favorable path forward for Lillard’s career. The current expectation is that Lillard will not sign with any team for the 2025-26 season. This allows him to receive the full amount owed on his previous contract while having 12 to 18 months to focus on rehabilitating his injury. Crucially, he will then have the opportunity to choose his next team for the first time in his career as an unrestricted free agent.
Though technically a free agent now, there is little incentive for teams to sign him immediately or for him to rush into a deal. Any team signing him now would only hold his non-Bird rights, severely limiting their ability to offer a significant raise without using considerable salary cap space or an exception the following summer. Unlike other sports, the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement restricts year-over-year raises in multiyear contracts, preventing teams from signing Lillard for a minimum salary this season and then offering a large salary increase in 2026-27 once he is healthy.
Ripple Effects Across the NBA
The Bucks’ moves have prompted analysis of other team strategies. The Denver Nuggets, for example, have been active in trades, reportedly aiming to keep Nikola Jokic satisfied, mirroring the pressure Milwaukee faces with Giannis. The Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason priorities and cap strategy are also being discussed in light of the Bucks’ actions, raising questions about whether LeBron James remains their sole focus given other teams’ significant moves. The Oklahoma City Thunder face their own challenge in retaining their core players following Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s supermax extension, potentially facing similar roster building constraints seen in Milwaukee.
Circling back to the Pacers, their unexpected trade during the NBA Finals now looks particularly curious in retrospect. Indiana sent the 23rd pick in the recent draft to the New Orleans Pelicans for their own 2026 first-round pick (originally acquired by New Orleans from Toronto). At the time, making a trade while competing in the Finals was unusual. It was also questioned why New Orleans would trade a future first-round pick with potential upside for a late first-rounder in the current draft.
That deal occurred before Haliburton’s Achilles injury, which significantly increased the likelihood of Indiana finishing lower in the standings next season. In hindsight, the trade appears less favorable for New Orleans. The Pelicans subsequently made another questionable move, using that acquired 23rd pick to jump to 13th in a trade with Atlanta, attaching an unprotected 2026 pick (the better of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s) to draft Derik Queen. With Haliburton injured and Turner gone, Indiana’s own 2026 pick is now significantly more likely to be a high lottery selection, potentially a top-four protected pick, making New Orleans’ trade appear even worse for them and better for Indiana.
The Bucks also recently made a draft selection, taking Bogoljub Marković 17th in the second round. Listed at 6’11” and 195 lbs, Marković is seen as a high-upside “stretch forward” with skills as a passer and post scorer. While considered a steal by some scouts, he needs significant physical development to handle the NBA game and improve defensively. Experts recommend a draft-and-stash approach for another year, a move that makes sense for the Bucks’ future planning regardless of immediate roster pressures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Milwaukee Bucks waive Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner?
The Bucks made this move primarily to address their need for a frontcourt player who fits effectively alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. They lost Brook Lopez, who provided valuable rim protection and 3-point shooting. Myles Turner offers a similar, arguably younger version of that skillset. To create the necessary salary cap space to sign Turner, the top center available, the Bucks waived Lillard and stretched his remaining large contract obligation over multiple years. This decision was driven by the intense pressure to maximize Giannis’s prime and return to championship contention after recent playoff struggles.
What is the financial implication of stretching Damian Lillard’s contract?
Stretching Damian Lillard’s contract means the Bucks will pay his remaining salary over a longer period than originally planned. Instead of the large amounts due over the next two seasons, his salary cap hit will be spread out in smaller annual charges for five years. This maneuver immediately creates significant cap space to sign a new player like Myles Turner. However, it locks a substantial financial obligation onto the team’s salary cap for half a decade, reducing future flexibility and incurring costs for a player no longer on the roster. This is why many executives called the move “reckless.”
How might these Bucks moves impact Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the team?
The moves have a complex impact on Giannis’s future. On one hand, acquiring Myles Turner provides a skillset (spacing, rim protection) that complements Giannis and is seen as necessary for championship contention, potentially aligning with Giannis’s desire to win multiple titles and his reported excitement to play with Turner. On the other hand, reports also indicate Giannis was reportedly “NOT happy” about Lillard being waived. Giannis is monitoring the team’s commitment to winning. While adding Turner could be viewed positively from a strategic fit perspective, the reported unhappiness over Lillard’s departure and the ‘reckless’ financial strategy could create tension, potentially influencing his long-term commitment despite the on-court benefits of playing with Turner and taking on a larger point-forward role.
Conclusion
The Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to waive Damian Lillard and sign Myles Turner represents one of the most audacious and debated moves of the NBA offseason. While the acquisition of Turner provides a necessary skillset alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and aligns with the team’s win-now imperative, the financial implications of stretching Lillard’s contract are substantial and were met with sharp criticism from across the league. This bold maneuver significantly impacts the Indiana Pacers, who lost a franchise cornerstone, and sends ripples throughout the NBA landscape as teams reassess strategies and cap situations. The ultimate success of this high-stakes gamble will likely hinge on Myles Turner’s performance, the team’s ability to replace Lillard’s offensive production, and, perhaps most crucially, how this complex situation ultimately affects Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise.
