Bucks Aiming To Keep Core Intact, Deal With Big Tax Bill Later

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, general manager Jon Horst and head coach Doc Rivers have presented ownership with a clear direction in offseason meetings: keep the core together around Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite the rising cost and uncertainty surrounding Damian Lillard’s health.

Milwaukee is optimistic it can compete for a top-six playoff spot even without Lillard, who missed significant time last season and may not return until late in 2025-26.

Still, the Bucks posted a 10-4 record without him in March and April, providing some internal confidence that a healthy supporting cast — and a system built around Giannis — can keep them afloat.

The larger question looms off the court. After paying significant luxury tax penalties in recent seasons, executives around the league have wondered if Milwaukee will rein in spending. But sources tell ESPN that the Bucks are prepared to be taxpayers again, if that’s what it takes to stay in the hunt.

And frankly, it might be unavoidable. Both Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis are free agents, and keeping even one — let alone both — likely means climbing back over the tax line. Let them both walk, and you’ve got Giannis looking around and wondering what happened to the team that sold him on championship ambition.

Still, there’s a fine line between aggressive and inflexible. ESPN reports that rival teams expect the Bucks to try to stay under the first tax apron -/ that’s the more restrictive threshold that would limit the team’s flexibility in trades and signings. Staying under that number would give the Bucks access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, projected to be worth over $12 million.

That exception could be critical, especially at point guard. With Lillard sidelined indefinitely, Milwaukee may need to find a stopgap floor general who can keep things moving.

Per Windhorst and Bontemps, names to monitor include Dennis Schroder, Tyus Jones, and Malcolm Brogdon — three experienced guards who could stabilize the offense without stealing the spotlight.

Bottom line: Milwaukee’s front office is trying to walk a tightrope by staying competitive now, planning for Lillard’s eventual return, and do it all without getting buried in tax penalties or losing roster flexibility. That’s a tough ask, even with a two-time MVP leading the charge.

But if the Bucks can thread that needle? They’re right back in the mix.