In a stunning move shaking the ongoing free agency period, the Milwaukee Bucks waived nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard on Tuesday. The team has also decided to stretch the star point guard’s contract for five years and will pay $22.5 million annually until the end of the agreed-upon period.
Lillard is now a free agent, but his future is hanging in the balance due to a torn left Achilles tendon suffered during the playoffs. While it typically takes NBA players roughly 10 to 12 months to recover from a torn Achilles, one insider recently dropped a bold recovery timeline that could see the nine-time All-Star hit the court sooner than expected.
NBA Insider Marc Spears Says Damian Lillard Sees ‘Opportunity’ in Shocking Move
While the rest of the NBA is still reeling from the shock of Lillard getting waived, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was reportedly upset about it, ESPN’s NBA insider Marc Spears revealed the point guard was ecstatic about the situation.
“He’s ecstatic. His agent told me this is an incredible opportunity for him,” he said. “He gets to be a free agent two years earlier, and choose where he wants to go. Money doesn’t really matter right now cause he is still getting paid by the Bucks.”
Spears further revealed that at least 10 teams were interested in signing him, with the heightened interest fueled by speculation that he could be back by the All-Star break.
“Wherever he goes next, that team must know he plans to rehab in Portland so he could be close to his family,” he added. “And how many teams are calling? There are about a double-digit number of teams calling, interested in him. There’s some speculation that he could be back around the All-Star break. If he signs with a team, it’s probably gonna be a two-year deal.”
Marc Spears on Damian Lillard:
“He’s ecstatic. There’s about double-digit number of teams calling, interested in him. When will Dame be back? There’s some speculation that he could be back around the all star break. If he signs with a team, it’s probably gonna be a 2-year deal” pic.twitter.com/k1Va5q5tYF
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) July 1, 2025
If those speculations are true, there could very well be a double-digit number of teams in contact with his agent at the moment, and the bidding war will only do good for him, in terms of money.
The 34-year-old injured his left Achilles while pursuing a rebound in Game 4 of the Bucks-Pacers first-round playoff series, and while he was expected to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season, that may not be the case now. Returning around the All-Star break, which means in February, would keep him out for 10 months, and it is a very realistic timeline.
Lillard had recently returned from a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) diagnosis that caused him to miss 14 regular-season games. Medical studies show around 73% of NBA players return after Achilles surgery, though many experience reduced minutes, efficiency, and career longevity.
Last season, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 triples, and 1.2 steals while appearing in 58 games and playing 36.1 minutes per night.
