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Damian Lillard Makes NBA History After Being Waived by Bucks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 1:14 PM ET

"Dame Time" has ended in Milwaukee.

The Bucks surprised the NBA world on Tuesday by signing former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract. That decision could have significant ramifications in the Eastern Conference next season, amid the Pacers' refusal to enter the luxury tax to keep Turner after star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles tendon rupture during the NBA Finals.

But the Bucks did not stop at Turner. In a corresponding move, Milwaukee decided to waive guard Damian Lillard, recovering from his own Achilles tear.

The decision to waive Lillard brings down the curtain on a tumultuous two-year stint in Milwaukee for the nine-time All-Star. Lillard and the Bucks did not make it out of the first round of the playoffs together, and they are now parting ways, seeing as Lillard is likely to miss all of next season due to his injury.

This is (obviously) the largest stretch-waive in NBA history... https://t.co/IsG9TRJZF6
— Spotrac (@spotrac) July 1, 2025

To clear the salary cap space needed to sign Turner, the Bucks are utilizing a key provision in the collective bargaining agreement.

Milwaukee is waiving Lillard and "stretching" Lillard's remaining $112.6 million salary across the next five NBA seasons. This means Lillard's salary will incur a cap hit of $22,516,603 in each season through 2029/30, when Lillard will be 39 years old.

According to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, it is the largest "waive and stretch" salary decision in NBA history. As ESPN's Bobby Marks pointed out on X, the cost incurred is nearly triple that of Nicolas Batum's owed salary when the Charlotte Hornets waived and stretched him as part of a deal to sign Gordon Hayward in 2020.

The Bucks believe that adding Turner in a bid to return to championship contention is worth incurring the enormous dead money charges and, reportedly, even the wrath of star player Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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