Damian Lillard went to bed on Monday night trapped on a sinking ship. He was a member of a Milwaukee Bucks team desperately trying to reshape its roster to appease Antetokounmpo without him, as Lillard will presumably miss most or all of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are all signed through the 2026-27 season. If Lillard misses most of next season, he could return fully healthy for that 2026-27 campaign and help the Warriors finish off their dynastic run with one last title chase.

The Bucks acquired Lillard from the Trail Blazers in a blockbuster, three-team trade with the Suns in September 2023, dealing Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, a 2029 first-rounder and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Portland.