Damian Lillard's injury means Bucks are no longer contenders

Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, also known as a blood clot. He'll be treated with blood thinners, but those come with risks, specifically increased bleeding for any cut or further injury. 

That means Lillard is out indefinitely, though an unnamed source told Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic that "there is a great deal of optimism that he will return this season."

Even before Lillard's setback, the Bucks were 14th in offensive rating. Subtracting Lillard and his 24.9 points per game won't help that, nor will losing his 7.1 assists, considering the Bucks are 23rd in assists already. The Bucks are third in three-point percentage, but Lillard has accounted for almost 20 percent of his team's threes.

It was part of the gamble of sending a big package of assets — Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and three first-round picks — to get the then-33-year-old All-Star. Last season, the Bucks finished third in the East, but Lillard missed two playoff games with an injury, while Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the entire first-round series loss to the Indiana Pacers.

This season, they're in fifth, virtually tied with the Detroit Pistons. If the Pistons pass them, that sets up a first-round matchup with the third-place New York Knicks, who beat them by 22 points in their first meeting this season, and by 34 points in the second one. The Bucks face them again, without Lillard, on Friday.

They still have Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA's best players. But since winning it all in 2021, the Bucks haven't won a playoff series. If they crash out of the playoffs in the first round again, it's hard to still consider them an elite team. Especially when the core of the team next season includes a 35-year-old Lillard and Brook Lopez, who turns 37 on April 1.

With few trade assets and two massive contracts — Lillard and Antetokounmpo are each receiving $54.1M next season — there could be big changes this summer, including head coach Doc Rivers. Antetokounmpo could even become available.

The Bucks went all-in with the Lillard trade. If he can't play again this season, Milwaukee may be all out of options with this core.