Bucks Buy or Sell: Replacing Damian Lillard with Myles Turner dooms Giannis’ future

When opportunity comes in the NBA, you need to take it as a front office. That is what Horst and the Bucks did this offseason when they came to a decision to cut Lillard.

This clearly wasn’t an easy decision to make.

It is never in an organization’s best interest to waive a star player, especially after suffering a major injury like Lillard did in the playoffs with his torn Achilles. Then again, Lillard was at peace with the idea of becoming a free agent.

Not only would he be paid in full from the Bucks over the next five seasons, but he would also be able to choose where to sign for the first time in his career as an unrestricted free agent. Ultimately, Dame chose a return to Portland to be next to family and friends at the end of his career.

From the Bucks’ standpoint, there wasn’t much else they could do this offseason to try and improve their roster without letting go of Lillard, who will miss all of the 2025-26 season anyway.

While this decision drastically impacts the Bucks’ financial flexibility for years to come, it allowed the franchise to dip below the tax aprons and open the door to make impactful additions around Giannis right now. That resulted in the ability to sign Turner with no questions asked.

Turner has spent all 10 years of his career with the Pacers and was the outspoken leader of their NBA Finals team this past season. His numbers speak for themselves, as he’s consistently been one of the league’s premier rim protectors and 3-point shooting big men.

Although he is an upgrade over Lopez, who is nearing the end of his career, how much better does Turner really make the Bucks? Is this a seismic enough change to turn around the Bucks’ recent misfortunes?

That is still the question at large, which is why Giannis’ future is very much a key talking point in league circles.

Will Giannis Antetokounmpo remain with Bucks long-term?

Right now, the Bucks figure to be a team that will contend for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference during the 2025-26 season.

With the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers taking a step back as a result of Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton suffering Achilles injuries, the East is wide open. Antetokounmpo has single-handedly carried the Bucks before, and he can do it again as long as he remains healthy.

When evaluating the Bucks’ roster on paper, they definitely have more depth and durability than many tend to give them credit for. The vast majority of this roster is in their mid-20s, and the team’s veterans are in the primes of their respective careers.

But as a whole, Milwaukee’s roster still seems somewhat incomplete. The greatest concern surrounds thei r offensive viability outside of Antetokounmpo and Turner.

Kyle Kuzma struggled in the limited time he spent with the Bucks last season, and Portis has never been known to be a go-to scoring option.

Maybe someone new will step up and ease some of the team’s glaring weaknesses, but what Giannis and everyone else around the NBA are evaluating is this team’s championship potential.

It is hard to imagine this team could defeat either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the New York Knicks, two teams that are expected to reign supreme at the top of t he East, in a playoff series.

One could also make the argument that, when fully healthy, the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, and Atlanta Hawks may have surpassed the Bucks as well.

Until they take the court and play, we can’t prematurely judge Giannis and the Bucks entering the 2025-26 season. However, the clock is ticking for Antetokounmpo to make an enormous decision.

Should Giannis stay with the Bucks, or is requesting a trade to a team set up in a better situation to win titles the better route?

To this point, there hasn’t been any talk about a new extension for Giannis in Milwaukee, as he is just now starting a three-year, $175 million deal he signed in 2023. No matter who you talk to around the league, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding whether he will see this contract through with the Bucks.

Still, nobody knows what Giannis is actually thinking. Unlike most stars, Antetokounmpo keeps everything close in his inner circle and doesn’t put his personal business out there for gossip.

When he is ready to make a decision, he will do so with what makes the most sense for the remainder of his career and NBA legacy.

Giannis is not the type of player to constantly jump ship and go from team to team in search of titles, but he is solely focused on winning another championship. If that can’t happen in Milwaukee, he will leave.

So, has replacing Lillard with Turner doomed the Bucks’ future with the two-time MVP? Well, for one thing, waiving and stretching Lillard’s contract really limits the organization’s ability to maximize its roster over the next several years. This definitely factors into Giannis’ thinking.

Although it seems like Giannis is giving the Bucks the benefit of the doubt before the start of the 2025-26 season and will see how things play out, anything can change at any time. Looking ahead to Giannis’ future, it looks likely that he won’t finish his career in Milwaukee.

BUY OR SELL HEADLINE: BUY — It is hard to believe Giannis views the Bucks’ roster as one competitive enough to win a title.