The Milwaukee Bucks have made the most astounding move of the NBA offseason so far, outright releasing star point guard Damian Lillard in order to clear cap space to add free agent center Myles Turner. As experts, players, and more criticize the move, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons had a scathing take about the Bucks offseason approach and had even more to say about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future.
Bill Simmons Bashes Milwaukee Bucks Offseason – “I Hated It. I Don’t Understand It.”
The Milwaukee Bucks captured headlines across the NBA after releasing Damian Lillard, the nine-time All-Star point guard whom the team traded significant assets for just two years ago, and stretching out his salary over the next five years in order to create space for the signing of Myles Turner.
Lillard will now eat up close to 15% of the team’s cap space for the next half-decade, while Turner will cost the team an additional average annual value of over $26 million. In total, having Turner on the roster will cost close to $50 million, which isn’t that far behind Antetokounmpo’s nearly $60 million.
The Bucks appear to have mortgaged their future to pair Turner with Antetokounmpo. While the move does assemble a fearsome frontcourt, the overall roster still does not appear to be close to contention. Bill Simmons, popular NBA expert with The Ringer, was extremely critical of Milwaukee’s decision to part ways with Lillard and add Turner.
“I didn’t approve of any single aspect of it. The Dame stretch thing for five years. Idiotic. Doing it for Myles Turner. I have no idea why they would do that.”
Bill Simmons Would Have Rather Traded Giannis Antetokounmpo Than Sacrifice Lillard for Turner
It is inarguable that Milwaukee’s decision to move on from Lillard reeks of desperation. The team will be eating a historically large amount of salary over five total years in order to facilitate the move, something that has never been done at an even remotely similar scale by any NBA franchise in history.
It is a puzzling move to wrap one’s head around. Simmons is one of many who do not see the vision of Antetokounmpo and Turner being what takes the Bucks back towards the top. It is one thing if the rest of the team was shaping up, but without Lillard, there is now a massive void at guard and a lack of depth as well.
Simmons is so discouraged by the move that he went on record saying that, if Milwaukee was desperate enough to justify the move, they simply should have traded Antetokounmpo instead.
“If it’s this desperate, that you’re gonna pay for the next four years, $47 million, $49 million, $50 million, and $51 million for Myles Turner. If that’s the only recourse you have, if that’s how desperate you are to keep Giannis… I’m trading Giannis at that point. I’m folding my hand. I just don’t get it.”
“I hated it. I don’t understand it. I think it’s a disaster.”@BillSimmons doesn’t get what the Bucks are doing AT ALL … and if these were the only moves they had up their sleeve, he thinks they might as well have traded Giannis. pic.twitter.com/u9E3TN92TN
— The Ringer (@ringer) July 2, 2025
Milwaukee still has resources to make some marginal additions to the team, but it is now moving forward without Lillard and with a large portion of their books occupied by paying a veteran who no longer plays for them.
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