MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 27: Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts from the court … More
Everyone’s worst fears came true when it was announced that Damian Lillard had indeed torn his Achilles in the early stages of Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers.
This concludes his season, and attaches several questions to his immediate, and long-term, future.
Will Dame still be Dame?
Lillard, who is approaching the age of 35, has a ton of NBA mileage on his body, having played in 900 regular season games, all of which required him to carry enormous scoring loads.
While it can’t be ruled out that Lillard will find a way to return to some type of his former self, the odds aren’t good. Achilles tears remain a horrific injury for basketball players, especially for players who are older.
More than likely, when Lillard returns, we’re going to see a different version of him, where he’s relying far more on his perimeter jump shot, and likely plays in more risk averse fashion.
While Dominique Wilkins and Kevin Durant have both come back from the injury, and performed to the same standard as before the injury, we’ve yet to see small guards do the same.
Klay Thompson did come back, and even won a title, but his body has certainly lost a step, especially on defense. However, he also had an ACL tear, which complicates matters even more.
As such, the overarching answer to this: To be determined.
Rehab and time away
While there isn’t a set timetable on these things, even if a team announces an approximation, it’s roughly around a year, give and take a few months.
If we stick with that rough expectation, that rules out Lillard for the entirety of next season, meaning we won’t get to see him back on the floor until he’s 36.
A lot of things can change in Milwaukee in the meantime, which is a story for a different day. It does mean the Bucks will have over $54 million in salary fully on the bench, which is quite the loss, as no one would be willing to take on that deal, in which a $58.4 million player option year follows.
The next year will be tough for both the Bucks, and Lillard. They will have to overcome him not being there, and he’ll have to spend more time away from the court than he’s ever done before.
If ever there was a team that couldn’t afford a loss like this, it’s Milwaukee. The injury will unquestionably play a role in how they’ll approach this coming offseason, and perhaps beyond pertaining to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The focus, however, remains on Lillard and his progress given how crucial his presence is to the organization.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
