MILWAUKEE — Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year deal to join the Milwaukee Bucks, who waived nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard to make the acquisition happen, a person with knowledge of the moves told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Turner is agreeing to a deal that ends with a player option, after spending the entirety of his first 10 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, which went to the NBA Finals this past season. And the remaining $112.6 million owed to Lillard will be paid out over the next five seasons via the NBA's stretch provision, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither move was announced by the clubs involved.
Just in: The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving Damian Lillard and stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract in order to acquire Myles Turner, sources tell ESPN. Lillard's two seasons in Milwaukee come to an end as he rehabilitates a torn Achilles tendon. pic.twitter.com/eg1D1TMFM6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
ESPN, which first reported the plan by the Pacers and Bucks, said Turner agreed to a contract worth $107 million.
In both cases, Achilles tendon injuries played a role in the surprising moves.
Indiana expects to be without star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the entirety of the coming season because he ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder while playing through what was diagnosed as a calf strain. And earlier in the playoffs, Lillard ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Milwaukee in Round 1 against Indiana.
Watch: Report: Bucks waiving Damian Lillard, acquiring Myles Turner in roster shakeup
Lillard also is likely to miss most, if not all, of the coming season. He will be free to sign with anyone he chooses, and teams could simply sign him now, give him a chance to continue his recovery and do so with hope that the seven-time All-NBA selection is fully ready to go by the start of the 2026-27 season.
Turner has averaged 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in his 10 seasons with the Pacers, who had a decision to make this summer about whether to surpass the luxury tax threshold with the knowledge that Haliburton likely cannot play this coming season.
Lillard, who turns 35 later this month, has averaged 25.1 points and 6.7 assists in 900 regular-season games over 13 seasons — the first 11 with Portland, the last two with Milwaukee.
The Bucks lost Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Clippers when free agency opened Monday.
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