“They wanted Myles Turner that bad”: Ex-Bucks star left in disbelief over Damian Lillard’s shocking waiver for new big man

The Milwaukee Bucks pulled a shocking move after they waived Damian Lillard in pursuit of Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. A team waiving Lillard was hard to fathom for many NBA fans, including the former Bucks player, Brandon Jennings.

After the bewildering move by the Bucks, Jennings let out his feelings on X. On Tuesday, he posted a series of tweets, just minutes apart.

“Wait wait wait wait the bucks waived Dame? Wtffffffffffffff,” Jennings tweeted.

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In his subsequent post, the former NBA player highlighted that despite the blockbuster trade, Milwaukee still needed to address the void in their roster.

"They wanted Myles Tuner That Bad? Still need a PG & SG."

"Mannnnn Bucks Owe Everybody Money," Jennings wrote in his last tweet.

Myles Turner signed a four-year, $107 million contract with the Bucks. On the other hand, the Bucks not only waived Lillard but also stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract for five years, a move that allowed the Bucks to sign Turner.

Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles injury during the playoffs during the 2024 season. He is set to miss a significant portion of the next season, if not the entirety of it, as he continues to rehab from the injury. He will also pocket the $51.4 million that he was set to be paid for the next season.

Report: Myles Turner wanted to remain in Indiana

The Indiana Pacers' window for any deep playoff run officially came to an end after the Milwaukee Bucks pulled an unlikely trade to acquire Myles Turner. Right after helping his team reach the NBA Finals, it was an unusual move from a star player, but according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Turner wanted to stay with the Pacers.

The NBA Insider tweeted on Tuesday that Turner made the decision because the Bucks paid him well above what the Pacers were able to.

"Turner wanted to return to Indiana and run it back after the Finals run, but sources said Pacers offers were well below what Milwaukee came up with here," Shelburne wrote. "Indy hasn’t paid luxury tax since 2005. Seems they were prepared to do so to some extent, but not at this level.

Myles Turner was the longest-serving player on the Pacers' roster. After being drafted by the team in the 2015 NBA draft, he played 10 seasons in Indiana. During his tenure, Turner averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.2 blocks. His acquisition will significantly boost the Bucks' interior defense.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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