Milwaukee Bucks

Even though there's outside concern about Damian Lillard's status for the 2025-26 season after tearing his Achilles in the Milwaukee Bucks' Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, he is looking to make it back quicker than expected.

Per The Athletic's Eric Nehm and Sam Amick, Lillard is "optimistic" about making a "speedy recovery" from the injury.

The Bucks confirmed on Monday that Lillard tore his Achilles and will undergo surgery.

This marked the second straight year that an Achilles injury forced Lillard to miss time in the playoffs, though last season's injury wasn't nearly as severe, with only a strain keeping him out for Games 4 and 5 against the Pacers.

NBA insider Chris Haynes said that Lillard is "motivated" to attack his rehab and return to his usual form.

Given when Lillard tore his Achilles and the typical timeframe other players have had in their recovery, there's a possibility he misses all of 2025-26.

The most famous example of a player who suffered a major Achilles injury late in one season and returned the following year was Kobe Bryant. He tore his Achilles in April 2013 and returned to game action eight months later.

More recently, though, teams have been cautious to rush players back. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant both missed the 2019-20 season after suffering Achilles tears in the 2019 NBA Finals.

Lillard is the same age (34) as Bryant when his Achilles injury occurred. Missing a full season would mean he doesn't play again until he is 36 years old.

Injuries are starting to pile up for Lillard, who just completed his 13th NBA season. The nine-time All-Star started 58 games this season, marking the third time in the last four years he has played in fewer than 60 games.

Lillard averaged 24.9 points on 37.6 percent three-point shooting, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in 58 appearances for the Bucks.

Before star point guard Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon in Game 4 of their first-round series loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly planned to explore whether it would've been best to trade him this offseason.

According to The Athletic's Eric Nehm and Sam Amick, "Had Lillard remained healthy, and had the Bucks still fallen in the first round, league sources say there would have been discussions about whether Lillard wanted to remain in Milwaukee."

The Bucks' season ended with Tuesday night's overtime loss to the Pacers in Game 5 of their first-round series. Lillard suffered his injury just six minutes into Game 4, derailing Milwaukee's chances of making a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

Nehm and Amick explained that Lillard and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo showed signs of improvement in their connection throughout the season, but it wasn't enough to overcome the team's roster deficiencies. The Bucks finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record and struggled to keep up against elite teams, leading to questions about whether Lillard should remain part of the team's future.

"The relationship between Antetokounmpo and Lillard is strong, as is the respect level, but the imperfections of their on-court pairing remained in their second season together," Nehm and Amick wrote. "And with the group’s collective limitations growing more evident by the month, a conversation was looming about whether Lillard and the Bucks might be better off parting ways."

Instead, Lillard is looking at a lengthy recovery over the next year. He will turn 35 in July, so it will be an uphill battle for him to make his way back to the court next season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks might be the biggest story of the upcoming NBA offseason, but how that story will unfold reportedly remains quite a "mystery" within the league and franchise.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst discussed the situation Wednesday and explained the lack of advanced speculation about the topic (10-minute mark).

"There has been zero speculation about Giannis and his future," Windhorst said. "He's worked very hard and so has his representation to shut down anything. He has been completely focused on the Bucks. So therefore this is basically a bit of a mystery. It might be a mystery within the organization a little bit. It's definitely a mystery for other teams out there. Whether he would want to get moved and who would potentially be on a list of interested teams.

"Which means this is going to be one of the biggest things hanging over the NBA offseason. And other players, potentially even star players who might end up on the trade market might have to wait themselves to see how Giannis' situation plays out because teams are going to see him as the biggest fish."

On paper, Antetokounmpo is under contract with the Bucks through the 2026-27 campaign with a player option for 2027-28.

However, it wouldn't be shocking if he wants to move on this offseason after the team lost in the first round for the third straight year. What's more, Damian Lillard's availability for next season is very much up in the air after he suffered a torn Achilles during the first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.

The Bucks may be looking at an uphill battle to compete for a championship next season without Lillard, and Antetokounmpo may want to go somewhere that gives him a more realistic chance to compete for a ring.

As for the team, trading the two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star would be the quickest way to accelerate any type of eventual rebuild it could be looking at during the years to come. Antetokounmpo would lead to a return package featuring a number of young players and draft picks in any trade, especially if much of the NBA is competing against each other in something of a bidding war.

That he is still just 30 years old and figures to remain among the best players in the league for the foreseeable future means any return package would be all the more enticing.

For now, though, it seems like the entire situation is shrouded in mystery despite how monumental it can be for the NBA's offseason.

The Milwaukee Bucks are still alive in the NBA Playoffs, but with Damian Lillard out for the season with a torn Achilles, much of the attention is now shifting towards what will be a pivotal offseason.

One of the biggest storylines this offseason will be Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said that whatever the star decides to do will affect not only the Bucks but the entire NBA.

"Does Giannis indicate he wants to stay put and remain a Buck, or does Giannis indicate he might want to look around," Windhorst said on NBA Today (6:30 mark). "If the answer is B, the entire NBA offseason will hinge on it. I don't even think any team can make a big move until they figure out what Giannis might prefer."

Antetokounmpo is under contract through the 2026-27 season with a player option ahead of the 2027-28 season, but him requesting a trade seems like a real possibility with how things have gone down in Milwaukee over the past few years.

Antetokounmpo is still just 30 years old and in the prime of his career. If he were to request a trade, it's fair to assume nearly every team in the league would put in an offer.

Antetokounmpo has been with the Bucks his entire career, reviving the organization and leading them to a championship in 2021. Despite his past success, Milwaukee has struggled in the years since and is now on the brink of elimination in the first round.

With the possibility of Lillard missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season, Antetokounmpo asking out and joining a team ready to compete could be the best move for him this offseason.

Trading Antetokounmpo could also be the best option for the Bucks, even if it means parting with one of the best players in franchise history. Milwaukee is ill-prepared for a future without Antetokounmpo, and it could get a jump start on a rebuild by picking up some assets through a trade.

Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a torn Achilles.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Lillard is in "good spirits" and is "motivated on attacking his rehab":

Lillard's availability for the start of 2025-26 is now in doubt because of the injury's severity.

In Game 4 of the Bucks' first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers, Lillard went down in the first quarter and had to be helped off the court. Shortly after suffering the injury, Haynes reported that Lillard was feared to have torn his Achilles.

The injury came after a recovery from his deep vein thrombosis diagnosis in March that forced him to miss the final month of the season and required him to take blood-thinning medication.

Per Charania, doctors "told Bucks officials that the speed of Lillard's recovery has never been seen before, but it occurred because of early treatment, detection and specialists working on him before a formal diagnosis."

Lillard understandably wasn't his typical self upon return from the blood clot. He had 14 points and seven assists in Game 2 before putting up just seven points in Game 3. Before going down in Game 4, Lillard had played just six minutes.

After Lillard's exit, the Bucks went on to lose by 26 points, 129-103.

Lillard's time in Milwaukee has not gone the way he would have liked so far. While he's had a pair of strong regular seasons, he and the Bucks faced a first-round exit a year ago and are one loss away from the same fate.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo praised Damian Lillard after the star point guard suffered a lower leg injury in Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

"It’s tough being in that position, but he’s one of the strongest, most mentally tough players I’ve ever been around, and that’s why he’s who he is," Antetokounmpo said, per Nikola Miloradovic of Eurohoops. "I believe he’s going to overcome any obstacle in front of him. We’re all going to be there for him. Whatever the challenge is, he’s going to get through it, and we’ll help him through it.”

Lillard fell to the ground after helping secure an offensive rebound in the first quarter of the Bucks' 129-103 loss on Sunday and required help to go back to Milwaukee's locker room.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Lillard is feared to have suffered a left Achilles tear.

The 34-year-old previously missed Milwaukee's final 14 games of the regular season due to a blood clot in his right calf. Although he was initially ruled out indefinitely, he was able to return in Game 2 of the Bucks' clash with the Pacers.

Lillard's second season in Milwaukee was off to a strong start prior to his extended absence, averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists to go along with 1.2 steals per game on 44.8/37.6/92.1 shooting splits.

Antetokounmpo has stepped up against the Pacers, leading all players in the postseason by averaging 33.8 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. The rest of Milwaukee's rotation has struggled, though.

With Lillard feared to have suffered an injury that could sideline him for awhile, it'll be tough for the Bucks to overcome the 3-1 series deficit that they currently face.

After a double-digit win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3, the Milwaukee Bucks entered Sunday's Game 4 motivated to tie the series with another victory.

Unfortunately, the Bucks suffered some early misfortune when star point guard Damian Lillard suffered a lower leg injury just six minutes into the game and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Milwaukee fought hard in his absence but ultimately couldn't keep up, as Indiana earned a 129-103 win to take a 3-1 series lead.

Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo did his best to keep the team afloat, recording 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. He shot 9-of-20 from the field in an uncharacteristically inefficient performance, but he had to shoulder most of the offensive load when Lillard went down.

Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 points off the bench and Bobby Portis had 14 points, but no other Milwaukee players scored in double figures.

Eight Pacers players had at least 12 points, including every member of the starting five, with Myles Turner's 23 leading the way. Andrew Nembhard had 20 points, and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 15 assists for his fourth straight double-double.

However, Lillard's status was at the forefront of everyone's minds, as fans on social media lamented his injury throughout the night:

The Bucks are on the brink of a third straight first-round exit from the playoffs. While things will be difficult without Lillard, a disappointing finish could lead to some major changes in Milwaukee this offseason.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will try to keep their season alive when they meet the Pacers in Indiana for Game 5 on Tuesday.

At least one NBA executive is skeptical about the Milwaukee Bucks' odds of overturning their 0-2 series deficit to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs.

"I really don't ... Giannis has been Giannis, and it just still hasn't been close," the exec said to ESPN's Tim Bontemps when asked whether they believe the Bucks can come back.

Bontemps also cited a scout who thinks Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers needs to change how he deploys veteran forward Kyle Kuzma.

"Keeping Kuzma off the ball isn't going to work," the scout said. "Either have him come off the bench and have the ball when Giannis is out and start someone like Green, or don't play him at all."

Indiana beating Milwaukee wouldn't be an upset. The Pacers finished two games better than the Bucks in the regular season, and they eliminated the 2021 champions last year en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Still, it would be a little jarring to see a franchise with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard dumped out in the first round. That outcome could also carry some potential consequences when Antetokounmpo is only two years out from free agency once the 2025-26 season tips off.

The series is shifting to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Friday night, and Rivers has had a few days to make any adjustments based on his team's two defeats.

But it's hard to see a path forward when back-to-back double-doubles from Giannis weren't enough to lift the Bucks to victory. Lillard was rusty in his return to the court in Game 2, shooting 4-of-13 en route to a 14-point night. Kuzma, Milwaukee's big midseason addition, has registered little impact.

The Bucks might be cooked, with the biggest question now being how badly they get embarrassed by an East rival.

Amid recent speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks, the organization remains committed to general manager Jon Horst.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bucks and Horst agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension as his current deal was set to expire at the end of this season.

As the Bucks face a 2-0 series deficit to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, all eyes are on Antetokounmpo right now. He said as recently as February that he wouldn't ever ask for a trade and "they would have to kick me out" before he did that.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast that Antetokounmpo "has given no indication throughout this entire season that he is not 100% focused on maximizing what the Bucks have."

Another early playoff exit could potentially change things, but there's nothing at this point to suggest Antetokounmpo will ask out. Next season will mark the first year of his three-year, $175.4 million extension that includes a player option for 2027-28.

It wouldn't be hard to find a suitor for the two-time MVP if he were to become available. Brian Lewis of the New York Post recently noted Antetokounmpo "has been and remains Plan A" for the Brooklyn Nets if he wants to leave Milwaukee.

The Bucks have been trending in the wrong direction for the past couple of seasons. They won an NBA-high 58 games during the 2022-23 campaign before losing in the first round to the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in part because Antetokounmpo missed two games due to a back injury.

After firing Mike Budenholzer in the wake of that playoff loss, the Bucks went through three head coaches last season when they finally landed on Doc Rivers. They again lost in the first round, this time to the Pacers, because Antetokounmpo missed the entire series due to a calf injury and Damian Lillard sat out two games with an Achilles injury.

Horst's past trades for Lillard and Jrue Holiday have sapped the Bucks of short- and long-term assets that would allow them to upgrade around Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee doesn't have control of its first-round draft pick until 2031. The team only has two second-round picks through 2030, with its 2026 second-rounder being protected if it falls among the top 55 picks.

The Bucks could have up to $23 million in cap space this summer if Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and Kevin Porter Jr. all turn down their player options.

There's not a great crop of free agents to choose from. LeBron James (player option) seems unlikely to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. Kyrie Irving (player option) is recovering from a torn ACL suffered on March 3. James Harden (player option) has performed well for the Los Angeles Clippers that he could either opt in or get a new deal.

That leaves Julius Randle as the best potential free agent who could leave his current team this summer. John Collins, Naz Reid, Jonathan Kuminga and Myles Turner are the other top options.

Horst, who has been Milwaukee's GM since June 2017, absolutely deserves credit for building a team that won the NBA title during the 2020-21 season. It's not unreasonable to assume they would have had additional success if injuries hadn't derailed them in the playoffs each of the past two years, even if they weren't guaranteed to win more championships.

The moves Horst has made since that title season have left the organization in a difficult position going forward, but they have enough confidence in him to pull them out of by extending his deal.

After falling into an 0-2 hole in their first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks are once again facing questions about star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the franchise.

However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective that Antetokounmpo appears to be committed to making things work in Milwaukee.

"And the other thing I'll say is, from talking to people in and around Milwaukee, Giannis has given no indication throughout this entire season that he is not 100% focused on maximizing what the Bucks have," Windhorst said around the 27:09 mark. "This is people in the league looking at the lay of the land, not, you know, anything that Giannis has said to anybody."

Antetokounmpo dropped game-highs of 34 points and 18 rebounds while also adding seven assists and a block in Tuesday's Game 2, but that wasn't enough for a victory as the Bucks lost 123-115 to the Pacers in front of a spirited crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The return of star guard Damian Lillard didn't do much to help Milwaukee, as he played 37 minutes but was limited to 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting in his first game since March 18 following the discovery of deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. He admitted after the game that he's still trying to improve his conditioning after being sidelined for over a month.

"I got a little winded, but I think everyone got a little winded," Lillard said, per the Associated Press. "I wasn't really thinking about if I was tired, it was just like I'm out here and I've got to do what I got to do."

The one Bucks player who wasn't winded was Antetokounmpo, who continues to shoulder a major load for a Milwaukee team that has struggled to maintain its status as a title contender this season. The Bucks won the In-Season Tournament championship in December, but that was one of the few bright spots in an up-and-down year.

Milwaukee hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs since winning the 2021 NBA championship. A third consecutive first-round exit could be the catalyst for the franchise to blow things up and explore the possibility of trading Antetokounmpo, but it doesn't sound like he will be the one who pushes to leave the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo and company will try to bounce back when the Bucks host the Pacers at Fiserv Forum in Game 3 on Friday.