Giannis Antetokounmpo Unhappy with Bucks’ Decision on Damian Lillard

Giannis Antetokounmpo seems to be frustrated with the Milwaukee Bucks for moving away from Damian Lillard.

The star player is reportedly “not satisfied” with the Bucks’ choice to part ways with Lillard in favor of signing Mills Turner, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.

“He didn’t appreciate how it was handled,” Haynes noted during a recent appearance on NBA TV.

On Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed that the Bucks had opted to waive the remaining $113 million on Lillard’s contract and instead signed longtime pacer Turner to a four-year deal worth $107 million.

Antetokounmpo’s concerns reflect broader speculations about his future with the team. In May, Charania mentioned that Antetokounmpo was “open-minded” about finding the best long-term fit for himself, whether that was in Milwaukee or elsewhere.

Charania reiterated on Monday that there hadn’t been any shifts in Antetokounmpo’s mindset; he is still weighing his options regarding his time with the Bucks.

The implications of Lillard’s exit on Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise remain uncertain. Lillard is anticipated to miss much of, if not all, of the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Milwaukee had acquired Lillard through a three-team trade with the Trail Blazers and Suns in September 2023, giving up Grayson Allen and first-round pick swaps for 2029 and 2030. While the pairing of Lillard and Antetokounmpo looked promising on paper, it didn’t yield the desired outcomes for the Bucks.

Last season, Milwaukee secured the third seed but faced a first-round exit against the Pacers, with both Lillard and Antetokounmpo dealing with injuries. A similar scenario transpired in 2025, where they ended up fifth and were ousted in the first round by the Pacers, following Lillard’s Achilles injury in Game 4.