Speculation Emerges About Damian Lillard's Relationship With Bucks

Speculation Emerges About Damian Lillard's Relationship With Bucks originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Milwaukee Bucks insist they served proper notice to Damian Lillard and his camp before executing the decision to waive him. 

The franchise stated publicly that Lillard was informed ahead of time, claiming the move was communicated internally and transparently. But Lillard appears to be painting a different picture.

Lillard conveyed his side to X account BucksRealm. Though what Lillard explicitly said was not revealed, the account clarified that Lillard found out the news along with everyone else.

“Despite reports surfacing around the league claiming otherwise, Bucks ownership did NOT notify Damian Lillard and his camp ahead of his release," Bucks Realm posted on Wednesday. "The move was entirely unprompted, and Lillard found out along with the rest of us.” 

This statement directly contradicts the Bucks’ assertion of prior notice, suggesting that Lillard learned of the decision in real time, possibly through media coverage or a team-wide announcement. 

Waived under the stretch provision, allowing the Bucks to spread his remaining $113 million over five years and free up cap space to sign Myles Turner, Lillard’s departure triggered debate.

B/c y'all wont leave me alone. Yes, Dame messaged me directly to provide clarity. I am not here to do anything but cover this team to the best of my ability. I hope people will start to learn this in time.. Keeping his actual word private as I believe it's the right thing to do. pic.twitter.com/M2wsUHWtgJ— BucksRealm (@BucksRealm) July 2, 2025

Beyond the communication breakdown, insider Chris Haynes reported that Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was “not pleased” with how his partner was shown the door. 

Yet, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne added nuance that Antetokounmpo may have been aware of the plan to add Turner and even felt “excited” about the frontcourt addition.

While the superstar reportedly supports adding Turner to complement his skillset, this doesn’t negate his potential displeasure with the sudden waiver of Lillard. Milwaukee continues to be on the clock with Antetokounmpo regarding his future this offseason. 

Related: Bucks Linked to 12-Time All-Star as Damian Lillard's Replacement

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.