Damian Lillard’s tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks came to an abrupt end on Tuesday. The Bucks decided to waive Lillard in order to sign Myles Turner, and the decision left a bad taste in the mouths of some.
Lillard, however, was reportedly not feeling too bad about the Bucks’ decision. The Athletic reported that the 34-year-old was elated that the Bucks waived him, and he appeared to co-sign that by sharing a story on Instagram.
Dame reposted a video on his IG story about how him getting cut was the best case scenario..👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/hR1j6mVO8X
— ᴛʏʟᴇʀ (@blazersforreal) July 2, 2025
Here is the clip that Lillard shared, which explained why this is a great outcome for him.
Lillard does have complete control of his future now and can go wherever he wants. It’s a big reason why he is so elated.
“League sources say Lillard is elated with this decision, as it puts him in the kind of basketball-first position that few All-Star-level players, if any, have experienced in league history. In short, he’ll be able to join the contending team of his choosing, either sometime soon or perhaps next summer, without the financial aspect of the decision playing a significant part.”
Lillard, who tore his Achilles in the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, was set to make $113 million over the next two seasons. The Bucks stretched those two years to five, which means they’ll pay him $22.5 million a year through the 2029-30 season.
That, in turn, means Lillard doesn’t have to concern himself too much with the financial aspect and can just sign with whichever team he wants. Many teams have reportedly reached out to Lillard, with the Golden State Warriors being one of them. It will be interesting to see where he decides to go.
While Lillard at his best would be a fantastic acquisition for any team, the question is how good he will be as he comes off this Achilles injury? It’s one of the worst injuries for an athlete, and he has suffered it at the age of 34.
Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for the Bucks in 2024-25. The chances of him playing at an All-Star level after returning aren’t great, but Kevin Durant did show that it isn’t impossible. If he can play anywhere near his best, he would be an incredible steal.
Getting back to the Bucks’ decision, NBA insider Chris Haynes revealed that Lillard wasn’t informed beforehand that he’d be getting waived.
“I spoke with Damian Lillard briefly, and, you know, he was surprised. He was surprised. The Bucks did recently go out there to Portland to meet with Dame, but they did not tell Dame that this was coming. He had no clue about that as well. I was told that Dame found out about the situation just like everybody else found out.”
Haynes did add that there were some things that could have been done and handled differently. The two sides don’t appear to have parted on good terms, and it’s a shame that the partnership has ended in this manner.
Lillard was supposed to elevate the Bucks when he arrived via trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo were being hailed as arguably the best duo in the NBA, but they didn’t prove to be the unstoppable force on the court that many had envisioned they would be.
Injuries to Lillard and Antetokounmpo also meant they never even won a playoff series during their two seasons as teammates. This has gone down as quite a disappointing era for the player and franchise, and it will be interesting to see if their fortunes turn after parting ways.
