Milwaukee Bucks made the painful decision to waive Damian Lillard as the player won’t be available for a long stretch this season. The team has to ‘abandon’ Dame who they signed in 2023 to be able to being in Myles Turner who they signed for a four-year $107 million contract.
Myles Turner, Damian Lillard
Dec 7, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) in the NBA In Season Tournament Semifinal at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Fans of Lillard will feel like their guy was betrayed by the team after team officials and teammates pronounced that they will wait for him and will be there every step of the way.
Lillard is not a total loser in this development. He will still get paid.
He is supposed to earn $112.6 million in the next two years from his current contract. The Bucks waived him and used a stretch provision.
This means he will get paid around $22 million in the next five seasons.
The move can be described a win-win for both parties. CBS Sports wrote:
Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
Jan 31, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) shows his love for Portland fans during introductions before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
The stretch provision is a way for teams to get short-term salary-cap relief. Using it does not save a team any money, but it allows a team to pay the waived player over twice the number of years remaining on his contract plus one.
Before waiving Lillard, the Bucks owed him more than $54 million next season and more than $58 million in 2026-27. Now, they owe him $22.5 million every season through 2029-30.
Damian Lillard now has the largest stretch-waive deal
Bobby Marks of ESPN said the Bucks are now part of the largest stretch-waive deal in NBA history.
The record was previously attacked to the Charlotte Hornets and Nicola Batum when the former tried to sign Gordon Hayward in the 2020-2021 season.
Largest waive and stretch in NBA history
Nearly triples the Nicolas Batum waiver by Charlotte years ago https://t.co/Vzavn55qxI
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 1, 2025
Nicolas Batum, Charlotte Hornets
Mar 3, 2020; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum (5) stands on the court before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Batum was supposed to receive $27 million in a season but the Hornets managed to stretch it to three years until 2023.
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