When Damian Lillard was waived and his contract was stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks, the star guard was reportedly "elated" because it put him in a great position to focus on his recovery from an Achilles injury and easily join a contending team once he returns to health.

The latest acquisition from the Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant, offered some insightful advice to Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum on how to effectively navigate their recovery from an Achilles injury.

Tatum is looking to convince Damian Lillard to join the Celtics after he was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, according to the Boston Globe. Both players tore their Achilles during the NBA playoffs and will miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season.

The late portion of the NBA season saw a number of big-name stars go down with devastating Achilles injuries, including Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and former Bucks guard Damian Lillard. Milwaukee opted to stretch the remaining $113 million owed to Lillard on his deal, sending the veteran guard to free agency for the first time in his career.

Boston Celtics eyes Damian Lillard. Jayson Tatum is recruiting Lillard, now a free agent after Milwaukee waived him. Lillard and Tatum are both recove

With the former Trail Blazer expected to miss most, or all, of next season as he recovers from the injury, the Bucks opted to waive the nine-time All-Star, stretching his contract over the next five seasons to make their new four-year, $107 million pact with Myles Turner work.