The Milwaukee Bucks had a last-ditch move to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard stopped their plans

The Milwaukee Bucks' emergency plan to prevent Giannis Antetokounmpo from leaving by potentially trading Damian Lillard was thwarted due to Lillard's injury. Antetokounmpo, prioritizing a second championship, is evaluating his future with the Bucks based on their competitiveness. The team aimed to demonstrate commitment by signing Myles Turner after waiving Lillard, seeking to build talent around their MVP.

However, the Bucks had considered trading an injured Lillard this summer as a "last-ditch strategy" to acquire another star for Antetokounmpo. This plan was dependent on Lillard's health and trade value. Lillard's Achilles tear during the playoffs destroyed his trade value, forcing the Bucks to waive him instead. This move backfired significantly, as waiving and stretching Lillard's contract means his salary will burden their salary cap for the next five years.

The Bucks had already mortgaged their future to retain Antetokounmpo, trading core players Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton for Lillard and Kyle Kuzma, and further committing $107 million over four years to Turner. None of these moves have succeeded. The team is now out of options, possessing no salary cap flexibility and lacking full control of first-round picks through 2029. Their desperate attempts to build a contender for Antetokounmpo have ultimately compromised their future prospects.