Milwaukee Bucks: Damian Lillard Drops 1-Liner for Doubters as He Engages Free Agency Suitors

Milwaukee Bucks Sold Out on Lillard, But He’s Buying High on Himself

Of players to tear their Achilles, Kevin Durant and Dominique Wilkins are the resounding success stories. Both returned without losing a beat. Albeit more prone to injury than before (perhaps age-related as much as anything else), Durant has become an even more efficient scorer.

Most players, though, have struggled to replicate their pre-Achilles tear production. Durant was 30. Wilkins was 32. Lillard turns 35 later this month. Kobe Bryant, who tore his Achilles at that age, was never the same. There is justified concern that a similar fate awaits Lillard, who averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists last season in year 13. This consideration likely factored into Milwaukee’s decision to let him go and gun for Turner.

Dame has performed miracles before, however. Sidelined in March with deep vein thrombosis in his calf, he returned in just over a month. That short of a turnaround time is basically unprecedented when it comes to blood clots.

In fact, he may have come back too soon, before he was fully conditioned for the intensity of in-game action. But Lillard isn’t one to doubt himself. He wants the world to know: betting on Dame Time is a savvy investment.

Where Does Dame Make Sense?

Naturally, the comment section flooded with fans urging him to join their respective teams.

While Lillard fits almost anywhere on paper, there are a number of factors to consider. First, how much money he wants may limit his pool of suitors with appropriate cap space. Due to his stretched Bucks salary, he’ll already make $22 million a year over the next five seasons. Maybe he’ll make himself available at a discount.

Moreover, his injury and age mean that he won’t match every team’s timeline or roster construction. Portland, for example, already has Jrue Holiday under contract for the next several seasons. The young, developing Blazers don’t really need two aging guards clogging the depth charts and the payroll.

Conversely, the Warriors are already so old that adding Lillard may not adequately juice the roster even though a two-year contract this summer would fit their window of contention.

Finally, win-now teams may not want to wait a whole season for a fully healthy Dame. Does LeBron want the Lakers to sign a player who won’t be able to help them until, at best, late this season and perhaps not at all?

Who knows what Boston’s plans are, but Lillard actually makes some sense there. As franchise star Jayson Tatum heals from his own Achilles injury, the Celtics seem to be bailing on next season. Both players should be good to go by the 2026-27 season. With Holiday traded, Lillard could slide into his spot as an older but still productive guard on a team neither geriatric nor rebuilding. Jackpot?