Major injury could spell doom for Boston Celtics rival’s status as a contender

For any team in the Eastern Conference, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks pose a threat, one that took the Boston Celtics to seven games back in the 2022 playoffs.

But with the latest news surrounding Damien Lillard, this current iteration of the Bucks could be done for.

On Monday, ESPN reported that Lillard suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Milwaukee’s Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

It’s devastating news for the Bucks. The Bucks currently trail the Pacers 3-1 in their first-round series, leaving one game away from elimination.

However, the ramifications of Lillard’s injury could be much more significant.

Not only is Lillard done for this playoff run, his 2025-26 season is also in jeopardy. Even if the nine-time All-Star manages to return, he’ll be 35 years old and coming off a major injury.

If the Bucks don’t have a fully functional Lillard next season, they could be cooked already. Both Lillard and Antetokounmpo are on supermax contracts, leaving Milwaukee little wiggle room to add talent.

That leaves one of the East’s more dangerous teams with one realistic prospect: moving on from Antetokounmpo after this season.

Antetokounmpo is one of the best players of his generation. The Bucks have understandably done everything in their power to keep their superstar happy.

But as outlets around the NBA have speculated, Milwaukee may be forced to trade Antetokounmpo after this season and go into a proper rebuild. It’s a scenario that’s been painted by the likes of ESPN, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Ringer and CBS Sports – to name a few.

Since the Bucks won the title in 2021, they’ve been a potential threat to do some damage in the East. But with Lillard’s injury, Milwaukee now has a choice between two paths forward.

They can make another push with Antetokounmpo and work around Lillard’s monster contract weighing them down. Or Milwaukee can trade its superstar and start a full rebuild with eyes toward being a contender when Lillard’s contract expires in the summer of 2027.

Either way, the Bucks don’t represent much of a threat out of the East for the foreseeable future. The real issue for a team like Boston is this: If Milwaukee does trade Antetokounmpo, where does he go?

Because whoever can land the two-time MVP is going to loom large as a championship contender.

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