Former NBA player Jim Jackson suggested that Giannis Antetokounmpo may have quietly influenced the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive Damian Lillard—not by demanding it directly, but by failing to advocate for Dame when consulted by the front office.
The Milwaukee Bucks made a surprising move this offseason by waiving Damian Lillard and stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years.
The decision came as Lillard recovers from a torn Achilles, which is expected to keep him out until 2026. Stretching his deal gave the Bucks enough cap flexibility to bring in center Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers.
In the aftermath of Dame's departure, reports surfaced suggesting Giannis Antetokounmpo was unhappy with the front office.
But former NBA player Jim Jackson offered a different perspective on Podcast P with Paul George. Jackson questioned whether the Bucks had discussed the move with Giannis beforehand — and if so, whether the Greek Freak simply chose not to take a stand.
"If management comes to you and says, 'What do you think about the coach, or are we gonna do this, or we may fire him?', and your star player is like, 'Well, you got to do what you go to do as an organization.' He's not saying, 'No, that you've got to fire him,'" Jackson speculated. "But he's not saying, 'Yes, I advocate for him.'"
Credit AP – Scanpix
According to Jackson, the lack of a strong endorsement from Giannis may have opened the door for the Bucks to move on from Lillard.
"Did you really advocate for this person to stay? Or did you just kind of let the organization do what they have to do when they asked you the question? You can't play that in-between," Jackson added.
Lillard, meanwhile, reportedly felt "elated" after being waived by the Bucks, as it allows him to join a contending team of his choice without financial constraints.
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