The Milwaukee Bucks have been very busy in the opening days of NBA free agency negotiations, and that means one of Milwaukee’s biggest stars is departing the team.

On Tuesday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Milwaukee would be waiving the contract of Damian Lillard, who went down with a torn achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs, and will likely not see the court until late in the 2025-26 season if at all next year. 

On Monday, it was also announced that center Brook Lopez would be leaving the team, traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $18 million deal. On Tuesday, shortly after the Lillard announcement, it was also announced that Pat Connaughton will be traded, along with two second round picks in 2031 and 2032 to the Charlotte Hornets for guard Vasilije Micic.

In the case of Lillard, his contract payments will be extended, in order to free up salary cap room for center Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers, who Milwaukee agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with on Tuesday morning. The remainder of Lillard’s $113 million deal will be stretched out over five years to pay the money owed to the guard while he rehabs his injury and eventually plays elsewhere.

Turner comes to the Bucks after a playoff run that included defeating Milwaukee, and advancing all the way to game seven of the NBA Finals, before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 14.1 points per game, as well as 6.8 rebounds, and was integral to Indiana’s success alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. It was reported that Turner wished to stay with the Pacers next season, but the circumstances around Haliburton’s injury have forced the Pacers to rebuild next year, as well. 

In Lillard’s two seasons with Milwaukee, he averaged 24.6 points per game, as well as 7.0 assists over the course of 131 total games with the Bucks, per Statmuse. His production will certainly be missed, but the addition of Turner in place of Lopez will shift the dynamic in how the Bucks operate on offense.

Free agency deals can begin on July 6th this season, but teams were allowed to begin negotiations on June 30th. Waiving Lillard and acquiring Turner, though, is an aggressive offseason strategy, most likely with the intent of building a strong team around Giannis Antetokounmpo once again for next year. 

Milwaukee will miss Damian Lillard, but the prospect of being a strong contender once again in the Eastern Conference means that the move was ultimately necessary. We’ll find out in the coming days if any more major developments will hit the trade table.