“Dame Time” is officially over in Milwaukee.
In a stunning turn of events, the Milwaukee Bucks waived Damian Lillard on Tuesday after signing Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal. While the Turner signing could reshape the Eastern Conference, the real shock came from how Milwaukee made it happen — by cutting ties with one of the NBA’s top scorers and stretching his massive contract.
Milwaukee will now spread Lillard’s $112.6 million in remaining salary across five years, incurring a cap hit of $22.5 million per season through 2029-30. This move officially makes Lillard’s departure the largest “waive and stretch” contract decision in NBA history, surpassing the Charlotte Hornets’ stretch of Nicolas Batum in 2020.
A Brief, Bumpy Era in Milwaukee
Lillard’s time in Milwaukee never quite lived up to the hype. The nine-time All-Star joined the Bucks with championship aspirations but failed to help the team advance past the first round in back-to-back playoff runs. Now, with Lillard recovering from an Achilles tear and expected to miss the upcoming season, the Bucks opted for financial flexibility and roster restructuring.
The decision reportedly ruffled feathers, including that of franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Bucks are clearly going all-in on defense and durability with Turner in the mix.
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The Cost of Contention
Waiving Lillard wasn’t just a basketball move it was a financial gamble. According to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti, the Bucks’ maneuver marks an unprecedented financial burden in NBA cap history. ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted the dead money nearly triples the amount from previous record-holder Batum.
The Milwaukee #Bucks are waiving Damian Lillard, stretching out the $112.6M remaining as dead cap/cash hits of:
— Spotrac (@spotrac) July 1, 2025
2025-26: $22,516,603
2026-27: $22,516,603
2027-28: $22,516,603
2028-29: $22,516,603
2029-30: $22,516,603 pic.twitter.com/suLdXfH6jV
Whether Turner proves worth the cost remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Bucks have made their bet, and Damian Lillard’s exit now belongs to the NBA record books.
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