The Milwaukee Bucks made a shocking move that will remain a question mark for years. They waived Damian Lillard out of nowhere just to sign NBA finalist Myles Turner to the roster. Although it makes sense financially, it was a move that no one saw coming, considering the type of player Lillard is.
It also brings us to the question of whether the face of the franchise, Giannis Antetokounmpo, knew about the deal. Reports claim that he was in knowledge of the fact that Bucks were going after Turner, but there is no evidence that he was aware of splitting up from Lillard.
In fact, there were some reports that the Greek star was not too pleased with the Bucks’ move. But NBA analyst Skip Bayless isn’t buying that, and claims that Antetokounmpo approved this decision.
Skip Bayless Believes Giannis Antetokounmpo Approved Damian Lillard’s Shocking Exit
Bayless, who is often making waves on social media for his controversial takes, has delivered us another one. He claims that the Bucks’ decision stems from Antetokounmpo’s dislike for Lillard.
“The Milwaukee Bucks just dumped Dame in favor of Miles Turner. They did that. And I applaud them for that. They took an all-time financial bath and just cut Damian Lillard,” he said. “But you know and I know, Giannis signed off on this. In the end, all that Bucks ownership management really care about is keeping Giannis in Milwaukee,” Bayless added.
The former NBA champ’s future has also been a major question mark. Insiders claim that he is willing to move elsewhere in the hunt for his second chip, but the trade saga seems to be dragging on longer than we expected. Antetokounmpo has two years left on his current deal, giving Milwaukee some leverage but not much time to convince him to stay long-term.
Bayless also says, “Giannis did not love playing with Dame. Did you happen to notice what Giannis did the last few weeks of the regular season when Dame was out? He went MVP style crazy… Maybe Dame was just too ball dominant.”
Lillard missed the last games of the regular season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, and later suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs.
According to StatMuse, during the last 14 games Lillard missed, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists, a sensational stretch for the player. Those numbers represent a significant jump from his season averages.
However, to contest Bayless’ claim, the numbers indicate that he wasn’t massively better without Lillard on the floor. Antetokounmpo played 67 games during the regular season and had 51 outings with the sharpshooter. The sample size makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about their on-court chemistry.
If we take just these games into account, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and six assists. These numbers can be taken as slightly better, where only his distribution and playmaking were better without Lillard. The difference in assist numbers particularly stands out when comparing the two scenarios.
What This Means for Milwaukee’s Future
While some analysts speculate about Antetokounmpo’s on-court fit with Lillard, there is no credible evidence he disliked playing with him, and multiple reports indicate Antetokounmpo was frustrated by the Bucks’ decision to waive Lillard. The move caught many around the league by surprise, including some within the organization.
Injuries and inconsistency were the root cause of their issues, where they struggled to build noticeable momentum on the floor.
The Bucks never found their rhythm with both stars healthy, managing just 51 games together due to various injuries throughout the season. Now, with Turner on the roster, they will be able to deliver some help to Antetokounmpo in the paint, if the Greek superstar chooses to stay in Milwaukee beyond this summer.
Turner brings elite shot-blocking ability and three-point range that should complement Antetokounmpo’s drive-and-kick style perfectly. The 6’11” forward averaged two blocks per game last season while shooting 39.6% from the three-point line.
His defensive presence could be exactly what Milwaukee needs to make another playoff push, assuming they can keep their franchise player happy.