The Milwaukee Bucks have executed a major roster change, opting to waive guard Damian Lillard and stretch the remaining $113 million on his contract. This strategic financial maneuver clears the way for the team to acquire free agent center Myles Turner.
Turner has reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with the Bucks valued at $107 million. The deal includes a player option for the fourth year in the 2028-29 season and features a full 15% trade kicker.
Lillard`s tenure in Milwaukee concludes after just two seasons. The seven-time All-NBA guard is currently rehabilitating a torn Achilles tendon sustained in early May that required surgery. Lillard reportedly welcomed the decision to be waived, as it ensures he will receive the full $113 million owed to him. Furthermore, it allows him the flexibility to focus on his recovery near his family in Portland and independently choose his next team destination.
By waiving Lillard prior to the August 29th deadline, the Bucks can utilize the `stretch provision` allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. This provision enables them to spread his remaining two years of salary over five years for salary cap calculation purposes, resulting in an annual cap hit of approximately $22.5 million. Crucially, this move achieves cap flexibility without requiring the team to part with future draft assets. The stretched salary amount remains within the limit of 15% of the current salary cap, which stands at $23.197 million.
Myles Turner, who spent 10 seasons as the longest-tenured player for the Indiana Pacers, had expressed a desire to stay with the franchise. Despite his representatives actively pursuing a deal following the Pacers` Game 7 exit in the NBA Finals, Indiana`s apparent aversion to the luxury tax, a stance potentially solidified by star guard Tyrese Haliburton`s Achilles injury during the Finals, ultimately facilitated the Bucks` ability to acquire their target center.
The 29-year-old Turner was a vital contributor to the Pacers` recent success. Standing 6-foot-11, he is highly valued for his dual threat capability: spacing the floor with his shooting and protecting the rim defensively. This past season, he recorded a career-best 39.6% shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line, while also averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and a team-leading 2.0 blocks per contest. He further demonstrated his defensive impact with a team-record 46 blocks during the Pacers` recent postseason run.
Turner joins an elite group as one of only three players in NBA history to accumulate both over 700 three-pointers and 1,400 blocks in their career, alongside Brook Lopez and Rasheed Wallace.
In what is being described as a scarce market during the initial phase of free agency, Bucks General Manager Jon Horst and CAA co-head of basketball Austin Brown collaborated closely to execute this complex and significant deal. The move is designed to aggressively retool the roster and position the franchise to contend around superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Busy Offseason for the Bucks
In addition to the major Lillard and Turner news, the Bucks have been active with several other transactions:
- Traded guard Pat Connaughton and two second-round draft picks (2031, 2032) to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Vasilije Micic. Connaughton averaged 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds last season, while Micic averaged 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Hornets.
- Agreed to a two-year contract to retain free agent center Jericho Sims. This deal includes a player option for the second season. Sims, known for his effectiveness as a lob threat, played in a career-high 53 regular-season games and all five playoff games last season.
- Agreed to a two-year contract with free agent forward Gary Harris, which also includes a player option for the second season. Harris, a veteran wing, previously played key rotation roles for playoff teams in Denver and Orlando, averaging 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds last season.
The Bucks have also recently re-signed Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Kevin Porter Jr. this offseason. However, the team did lose center Brook Lopez, who signed with the LA Clippers.
Although the Bucks` salary limitations initially presented no straightforward path to acquiring Turner, General Manager Horst and Austin Brown reportedly worked through Monday and Tuesday to devise the necessary financial maneuvers to create the opening. Both Myles Turner and Giannis Antetokounmpo are said to have valued the potential opportunity to play together on the court.
This represents another significant strategic move by Milwaukee`s front office as they continue to build around Antetokounmpo, especially as his future with the team remains a key consideration. In 2020, Horst famously acquired Jrue Holiday in a blockbuster trade, and in 2023, the team similarly landed Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers via a three-team deal. Now, the acquisition of Turner further underscores the franchise`s commitment to constructing a championship contender in the Eastern Conference during Giannis` prime years, notably by adding a key piece while simultaneously taking him from a conference rival.
Lillard, who will turn 35 on July 15, established himself as one of the team leaders alongside Antetokounmpo during his time in Milwaukee. In his second season with the team, he played in 58 games and earned his ninth All-Star Game selection. He showed improved efficiency compared to his first season, ranking tenth in the NBA in both scoring (24.9 points per game) and assists (7.1 assists per game), with shooting percentages of 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range. His season was prematurely ended when he suffered the Achilles injury midway through the first quarter of Game 4 in the first-round playoff series loss against the Pacers.
Prior to his time in Milwaukee, Lillard spent 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. There, he earned seven All-Star selections and seven All-NBA team honors. He led Portland to the playoffs on eight occasions, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in the 2018-19 season. He holds the Trail Blazers franchise records for points and three-pointers made and ranks second in assists.
