Damian Lillard Sends 3-Word Message To Bucks Star Amid Milwaukee GM’s Confession About Controversial Release

“Stretching Dame’s contract, which was not easy to do… gave us more flexibility and we can sign more guys.” That was Bucks coach Doc Rivers, trying to explain the logic behind the bombshell decision to waive Damian Lillard. And he wasn’t kidding about signing more guys. The Bucks have been busy retooling their roster, making moves they hope will keep them in the championship conversation. But while Milwaukee is building for its future, the man they just cut loose is watching, and he’s got a message for the young player taking his spot.

As he celebrated his 35th birthday this week, Lillard showed he’s still keeping an eye on his old team. When NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Bucks were re-signing young forward Chris Livingston to a one-year, $2.3 million deal, Lillard immediately reposted it to his Instagram story. His caption was a simple, three-word message of support for the 21-year-old who has been lighting it up in Summer League: “let’s go PT.”

It was a classy move from a guy who was just unceremoniously shown the door. But it also shines a light on the strange tightrope the Bucks are walking this offseason. On one hand, they’re investing in the future, rewarding a guy like Livingston for his “progress this month in summer league,” as Shams noted. On the other hand, the only reason they could sign him is because they made a desperate “win-now” gamble to waive Lillard, a move designed to appease their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks are all-in on keeping Giannis happy, and that means handing him the keys to the offense in a way he’s never had them before. GM Jon Horst has made it clear they are “tripling down or quadrupling down” on building the team around Giannis as a true “point forward.” He explained the philosophy to saying, “I feel like we’ve always played with a certain type of guard… that is capable of being a primary playmaker, but doesn’t need to be a primary playmaker.”

With Lillard gone, the plan is to fully unleash Giannis as the primary creator. “He truly is becoming a real point guard — or a real point forward, like Doc calls it,” Horst said. The strategy is simple: surround him with shooters and let him dominate. “You stop him, he passes it. You don’t, he dunks it.” As Horst admitted, “Maximizing Giannis’ prime, our opportunities to win, I feel like that’s our responsibility always. So it was really a now versus future decision.”

That decision, however, came with plenty of drama. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Giannis was “not pleased” with how the whole Lillard situation was handled. And while the front office has been in damage control mode ever since, their controversial move has given Lillard something he’s never had in his entire career: total freedom.

By stretching his contract, the Bucks essentially handed him a golden ticket. He’ll get paid over $22 million a year for the next five years not to play for them, all while being free to sign with any team he wants for a veteran-minimum deal. As one CBS Sports put it, Damian Lillard just won the basketball lottery.

Where will Damian Lillard land? The Celtics emerge as a surprise favorite

So, where does a guy who just won the basketball lottery cash his ticket? While Damian Lillard takes his time rehabbing his torn Achilles, a quiet bidding war for his services has already started. For the first time in his career, he’s in the driver’s seat, and a handful of contenders are lining up to make their pitch. The most surprising team at the front of the line? The Boston Celtics.

According to a report from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Celtics star Jayson Tatum is already trying to recruit Lillard to Boston. It’s a wild turn of events, especially since Lillard wanted nothing to do with the Celtics back in 2023. But a lot has changed. The Boston Herald reports that Lillard is now more “receptive” to the idea. And why wouldn’t he be? The timing is almost perfect.

The Celtics are basically taking a “gap year.” Their own superstar, Jayson Tatum, is recovering from a devastating Achilles injury and will likely miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season. This creates a unique, low-pressure situation where Lillard could rehab his own Achilles alongside another one of the game’s best. For two superstars facing the same long road back, the idea of doing it together has to be appealing.

And Lillard seems to be hinting at a new beginning. On his 35th birthday, he posted a message on Instagram that ended with the hashtag, “#ToBeContinued,” a subtle but clear sign that he’s already looking ahead.

But Boston isn’t his only option. According to a report from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all in the mix. The Warriors could see him as the final piece for one last run with their aging core. The Heat are always hunting for stars. And the Timberwolves, fresh off a trip to the playoffs, might see him as the veteran guard who can get them over the top.

The Bucks took a massive chance to keep their superstar happy. But in doing so, they might have just created their next great rival. As Damian Lillard weighs his options, the entire power structure of the Eastern Conference hangs in the balance.