The Milwaukee Bucks have had a whirlwind start to free agency, one that has left fans both emotional and confused. From heartfelt goodbyes to awkward silences, the vibes are complicated in Milwaukee right now. And no story captures that duality better than what happened with Pat Connaughton and Damian Lillard. One left with tributes, hugs, and Lukas Graham’s “7 Years” playing in the background. The other? Waived. And so far, not even a proper sendoff from his superstar teammate.

Pat Connaughton officially said goodbye to Milwaukee this week, and it was about as classy and emotional as it gets. The veteran guard, who spent seven years with the Bucks and was a crucial piece of the 2021 NBA championship team, posted a heartfelt Instagram carousel. Set to the song 7 Years by Lukas Graham, Connaughton walked fans through his journey. From being waived and told to go back to baseball, to becoming an NBA champion and a father, embraced by a city that became home. “To the organization, teammates, and city who wholeheartedly embraced me… I came as a young man and leave as a father and champion. Nothing but love for Milwaukee, forever 🦌♾️,” he wrote.

The post featured moments with teammates, shots with the Larry O’Brien trophy, and dunk contest memories, and glimpses into his off-court ventures, like charity work and real estate. If you’ve followed Pat’s journey, you felt that one. And clearly, his teammates felt it too. Bobby Portis jumped into the comments with a simple but heartfelt, “I love you bro.” And Giannis Antetokounmpo took it a step further, reposting one of the photos to his Instagram story, showing the two of them sharing an embrace, sound tracked by 7 Years.

The vibes were nostalgic and authentic, a real recognition of Connaughton’s impact both on the floor and in the locker room. So why is there such a stark contrast when it comes to another departing Buck? While Connaughton’s departure drew love and tributes. Damian Lillard’s exit has been met with near-total silence from players, and especially from Giannis.

Lillard’s time in Milwaukee was short-lived and ended in brutal fashion. Waived by the Bucks in a shocking cap-clearing move to sign Myles Turner, Dame reportedly found out the same time as the rest of us, no heads-up, no courtesy call. And no social media send-off, at least not from Giannis or Portis.

Two goodbyes, two reactions? 

The only public reaction Giannis gave to Damian Lillard’s exit was a cryptic message posted before news of Dame’s waiving even dropped: “I don’t know what’s going on right now.” According to insider Chris Haynes, Giannis wasn’t pleased, not necessarily about the move itself, but about how it went down. Haynes clarified, “He just didn’t appreciate how it was handled.” For fans, that post sparked speculation. Was Giannis blindsided? Frustrated? Checking out? Some even misinterpreted it as a farewell of his own, but no follow-up message ever came.

Even more telling, Giannis was reportedly informed about the Myles Turner signing before it became public. But what remains unclear is whether he knew that Lillard would be the casualty of that move. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard himself has kept it relatively quiet, other than a cryptic social media post and a reaction GIF to Ramona Shelburne reporting that Giannis was looped in beforehand. No bitterness spilled over, but the tone said it all: this wasn’t the graceful, mutual parting of ways that some imagined. It was cold, abrupt, and clearly left a mark.

And look, no one is expecting Giannis to write an essay on every teammate who leaves. But considering the hype around the Dame-Giannis partnership last year, the “unstoppable duo,” the “ring-or-bust” energy. It’s jarring that Lillard left town with barely a word from Milwaukee’s franchise player. No Instagram story. No repost. Not even a “good luck, bro.”

Pat Connaughton left Milwaukee after seven steady years, and the city, teammates, and especially Giannis gave him his flowers. It was heartfelt, emotional, and fitting. Damian Lillard, a future Hall-of-Famer and supposed Giannis co-star, was waived unceremoniously after one injury-riddled season. And the silence is deafening. Maybe it’s just business, Giannis is still processing the move, or maybe he didn’t like how it went down and doesn’t want to fake it for the ‘gram. Whatever the reason, fans have noticed, and the difference in reactions speaks volumes about the way the Bucks handled both situations.

Whether or not Dame and Giannis ever link up again, on the court or online. However, one thing is clear: this offseason just made the Bucks’ locker room dynamics a whole lot more complicated.