RealGM Basketball Wiretap

06 July 2025

• Heat Maintain Bradley Beal Upon Buyout After Discussing Trade; Bucks Also Monitoring

  The Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns explored a possible trade for Bradley Beal this week, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

  The discussions ultimately came to an end without any traction.

  It is now expected that the Suns buy Beal out of his contract at around the $90 million range. Stretched over five years, the buyout would create a $18 million annual cap hit.

  Beal has two years remaining on his contract totaling $110 million.

  Should Beal get bought out, the Heat and the Bucks would have interested in acquiring the guard.

  Beal hasn't played at least 60 games since the 2020-21 season.

• Damian Lillard Open To Signing This Offseason But In No Rush To Make Decision

  Damian Lillard is open to signing with a team this offseason as he continues to rehab if the terms and conditions match what he is looking for now that he has been waived-and-stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks.

  Lillard has received considerable interest, but he is in no rush to make a decision.

  Lillard has been expected to rehabilitate his torn Achilles in Portland after spending the past two seasons away from home with the Bucks.

• Chris Paul Considering Bucks, Clippers, Suns

  Chris Paul is believed to be deciding between the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks in free agency. Paul is coming off a one-year, $11 million deal he signed with the San Antonio Spurs during the 2024 offseason. Paul played in all 82 games for the Spurs.

  Paul previously played for both the Clippers and Suns, while he would have the opportunity to reunite with Doc Rivers if he were to sign with the Bucks. The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Bucks could factor into Paul's decision to sign with a team further from the West Coast.

  "Chris Paul has levels of interest from the Clippers, Suns and the Bucks," said Shams Charania on a Thursday afternoon Sports Center appearance. "I'm told he had a conversation with Bucks' officials on Wednesday. He told the Pat McAfee Show several weeks ago that his preference is to stay on the West Coast. He is sorting through options right now. Whether on the West Coast, or a team like Milwaukee."

  Paul averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists last season.

• Bucks Waive Chris Livingston

  The Milwaukee Bucks have waived Chris Livingston to open up a roster spot before his salary of $2.2 million becomes guaranteed on July 15. Livingston was the No. 58 pick int the 2023 NBA draft. Livingston earned the largest deal ever for a second-round pick at $7.7 million over four years. The first two years of that contract were guaranteed outright.

  Livingston appeared in only 42 games for the Bucks over the past two seasons. Livingston averaged 18 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Herd last season.

• Bucks' Financial Logic Behind Damian Lillard Waive-and-Stretch Move Explained

  Jon Horst and the Milwaukee Bucks took the unprecedented move to use the waive-and-stretch provision on the remaining $113 million on Damian Lillard's contract. Lillard is not expected to play next season due to his Achilles injury, leaving the Bucks with $54.1 million in dead money.

  ESPN's Brian Windhorst explained the financial strategy behind Milwaukee's decision on Wednesday's Hoop Collective Podcast. The move allows the Bucks to add productive talent while managing their luxury tax situation.

  The waive-and-stretch provision drops Lillard's cap hit to $22.5 million for the 2025-26 season. Milwaukee subsequently added Myles Turner at $27 million for Year 1, giving them a productive player for approximately the same salary slot Lillard would have occupied.

  "So, I had somebody explain a version of the strategy to me," said Windhorst. "I'm not endorsing this. I'm just going to tell you what I was explained. Somebody explained why-how the Bucks could justify this. So, Dame is on the books $22.5 million, let's call it $23 million. Myles Turner's deal averages $27 million a year. So, basically for the next four years, it's $50 million for the two of them. So this year Dame was on the cap for a little over $50 million and that was a-you know, a blank spot on the cap. Maybe he comes back. Let's just assume that he doesn't. Maybe he does. But it's $50 million you weren't going to get production out of."

  "So now they reduced the Dame number to $23 million for this year and they bring in Myles Turner and it's again about $15 million. And so now you have a productive player in that $50 million spot. And secondly, you reduce yourself below the luxury tax and so you are in theory not paying tax and you get access to the distribution which I don't know, let's say it's $10 million. We don't know what it's going to be."

  The Bucks will continue to carry Lillard's $22.5 million in dead money on their cap sheet for three additional seasons. This represents the cost of gaining immediate roster flexibility and avoiding luxury tax penalties for the upcoming season.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner 'Excited' To Play Together

  Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner are "excited" at the idea of playing together, sources told Shams Charania of ESPN.

  The Bucks signed Turner to a four-year deal on Tuesday while also waiving-and-stretching Damian Lillard.

  It was initially reported that Antetokounmpo was "unhappy" at the Bucks decision to part ways with Lillard.

  "He just didn't like the way it was handled," according to Chris Haynes.

  With Antetokounmpo participating in the recruitment of Turner, he is expected to remain with the Bucks next season.

  Charania added that Antetokounmpo is planning to evaluate the totality of the Bucks offseason before making his decision.

  The Bucks are rumored to be looking for a new point guard.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo To Evaluate Bucks' Championship Potential At End Of Offseason

  The Milwaukee Bucks made a surprising move on Tuesday in signing Myles Turner while also cutting ties with Damian Lillard. Giannis Antetokounmpo took notice of the transaction as he continues to evaluate his status with the Bucks. Antetokounmpo plans to continue to evaluating any additional moves the team makes. The Bucks could still trade a future first-round pick in either 2031 or 2032 as they search for a new point guard.

  "I'm told Giannis Antetokounmpo will continue to evaluate everything-the entire offseason," said Shams Charania on Tuesday's NBA Today Free Agency Special. "He took notice of this move today, no doubt, but sources tell me he will evaluate more than just one day. At the end of the offseason, Giannis Antetokounmpo will ask himself-he'll look in the mirror and look around him and ask the question: 'Can I win a second championship with this team as currently constructed?'

  "And the answer to that question faces and looms Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks, and Milwaukee."

  Antetokounmpo, who had another top-3 MVP finish in 2024-25, has two additional seasons remaining on his contract.

• Damian Lillard 'Elated' To Be Waived By Bucks, Already Receiving Calls From Contending Teams

  Damian Lillard is "elated" with the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to use the waive-and-stretch provision on his $54.1 million contract for the 2025-26 season and $58.4 million for 2026-27, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic. Lillard will have the opportunity to choose his next team after he was traded to the Bucks in 2023 despite strongly preferring a move to the Miami Heat.

  Lillard could sign for a minimum salary either sometime soon or next offseason, which will open up virtually any team of his choosing.

  Lillard received calls from several contending teams shortly after news broke of the Bucks' decision. Lillard must decide whether he wants to sign now and rehabilitate under his new team's care, or wait until next offseason to reassess the situation. Lillard is rehabilitating his torn Achilles.

  Even if Lillard hadn't been injured in the playoffs, he and the Bucks were going to discuss a potential exit this offseason. Lillard had some on-court fit issues and also struggled with being away from his children.

  According to Chris Haynes, Lillard has received interest from the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers. ESPN's Marc Spears also reported that the Golden State Warriors reached out to Lillard.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo Now Considered Less Likely To Become Available

  Giannis Antetokounmpo was expected to evaluate his options once the Milwaukee Bucks completed their offseason maneuvers and whether he felt confident they could compete in the Eastern Conference. With their surprise addition of Myles Turner in free agency, the expectation is that Antetokounmpo will enter the season with the Bucks. Antetokounmpo participated in the efforts to add Turner to the Bucks.

  "If you're a team out there like maybe the Spurs or the Knicks or the Heat who were maybe saving up their assets to try to make some sort of Giannis Antetokounmpo run if the Bucks weren't able to have an impactful free agency, you have to reevaluate how you're now operating over the next few days as well," said Brian Windhorst on First Take. "I would have to assume this significantly lowers the chances of Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming available anytime soon."

  Antetokounmpo is under contract with the Bucks for at least the next two seasons. After playing beside Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis when they won the title in 2021, followed by Damian Lillard and Lopez over the past two seasons, Antetokounmpo now enters a new era with a core of Turner, Portis, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr.

  "Giannis, I believe, is looking for reasons to stay in Milwaukee," said Windhorst. "That's one of the reasons he has stepped back and let them go through their process.

  "If Giannis was looking for a reason to stay in Milwaukee, this was enough of a reason to be excited about coming back."

  Windhorst described the Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Lillard followed by the signing of Turner as adding another mortgage to buy a sports car.

  "This is mortgaging your mortgage to buy a sports car," said Windhorst. "I guess if you get the girl, which is Giannis in this case, maybe it's worth it?"

• Jericho Sims, Bucks Agree To Two-Year Deal

  Jericho Sims and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a two-year deal. Sims will hold a player option for Year 2 ahead of the 2026-27 season.

  Sims, who is represented by Jason Glushon and Josh Ketroser, averaged 1.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes across 53 games last season with the New York Knicks and Bucks.

  The Bucks acquired Sims as part of the Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma trade with the Washington Wizards and the Knicks.