Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee is once again in doubt after the Bucks waived nine-time All-Star guard Damian Lillard on Tuesday. The team used a cap provision to stretch Lillard’s $113 million salary over five years instead of the original two.
Lillard was already expected to miss the 2025–26 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles.
The move caught many off guard, including Antetokounmpo, who was reportedly “not pleased” with how it unfolded.
“He just didn’t like how it was handled,” senior NBA insider Chris Haynes said on NBA TV. “Giannis, this whole offseason since the season ended, he’s been weighing his options, trying to figure out what he’s going to do, trying to navigate his future—and this is just one more thing added to the equation. He’s seeing that there are some suspect things happening, or at least the way they’re happening.”
"He just didn't like how it was handled." 😳@ChrisBHaynes reports on Giannis' reaction to Milwaukee waiving Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/cyLzAvtcGS
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 1, 2025
With Lillard gone, will Antetokounmpo be next?
It had already been reported that the two-time MVP was open to being moved, though the Bucks publicly maintained they had no plans to trade him. But after waiving Lillard, teams around the league are expected to revisit whether Antetokounmpo is now available.
The Bucks acquired Lillard in a blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the 2023-24 season, hoping he and Antetokounmpo could lead a championship run. But in two seasons together, Milwaukee was eliminated in the first round both times under head coach Doc Rivers.
In place of Lillard, the Bucks signed former Pacers center Myles Turner to a four-year, $113 million deal.
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins