The Milwaukee Bucks have suffered their second straight first-round exit with a Game 5 loss to the Indiana Pacers. To make matters worse, Damian Lillard has suffered an Achilles tear.
Milwaukee heads into the offseason with similar questions to previous years. No matter what the front office does, nothing seems to be moving the needle. With each passing year, Giannis Antetokounmpo is inching away from his prime.
Antetokounmpo, 30, has spent his entire career with the Bucks, winning them a championship in 2021. He has also shown tremendous patience as his supporting cast has slowly declined. However, even the addition of Lillard has failed to stem the bleeding.
According to former NBA guard Gary Payton, who was speaking on a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s “Nightcap” podcast, Milwaukee will likely look to trade Lillard this summer.
“I think they’re gonna retool this whole team,” Payton said. “I don’t even think Dame is gonna be there next year. I’m going to be honest with you. This team is not the same.”
