Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst has been shockingly honest about his wild decision making this summer, as he has strived to make moves to build around nine-time All-NBA superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the waking of a devastating Achilles tendon tear to former Bucks All-Star point guard Damian Lillard.
During an extensive interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Horst was asked, point-blank, if the bold offseason decisions he has made thus far are enough to help Milwaukee compete for its second championship with Antetokounmpo in 2025-26.
Jon Horst, on the Bucks' offseason moves:
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) July 16, 2025
"Have we done enough? I don’t know. We’ll find out. Have we done everything that we possibly could? Absolutely. And have we done more than anyone else could possibly do? I believe we have."
At @TheAthletic: https://t.co/pMSWdjwlxu
“Maximizing Giannis’ prime, our opportunities to win, I feel like that’s our responsibility always,” Horst told Nehm. “So it was really a now versus future decision.”
Horst decided to stretch and waive Lillard's remaining salary, using the cap relief to swipe 3-and-D starting center Myles Turner from Central Division rival the Indiana Pacers, fresh off an NBA Finals run.
The Bucks also brought in free agent shooting guard Gary Harris. Otherwise, Milwaukee mostly re-signed its own free agents, bringing back power forward Bobby Portis, combo guard Kevin Porter Jr., shooting guard Gary Trent Jr., center Jericho Sims, combo forward Chris Livingston, small forward Taurean Prince, and point guard Ryan Rollins on mostly team-friendly deals.
The decision to bring back Livingston, who has contributed nothing and seems unlikely to crack head coach Doc Rivers' rotation, is a curious one.
"Have we done enough? We’ve done everything, I’ve done everything within my human possible power this offseason," Horst said. "We’ll find out. Have we done everything that we possibly could? Absolutely. And have we done more than anyone else could possibly do? I believe we have. And that’s not an arrogant thing to say. In a very humble way. I think we’ve done as much or more than anyone else could possibly do, and I’m proud of that."
Milwaukee will now be saddled with $22.5 million in dead cap space for the next five seasons, as it will be paying off the balance of Lillard's deal even if Lillard plays elsewhere or retires.
"It’s a really tough Eastern Conference and it’s a really tough NBA and that’s what makes it fun," Horst added. "I think there are other teams that have had great offseasons. But we took our set of circumstances, we evaluated everything we possibly could to have the best possible chance that we could at the upcoming season. And I think we’re in that spot right now."
Although the Pacers and Boston Celtics are both without their respective All-NBA players, point guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Jayson Tatum, due to their own Achilles tears, the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks all leveled up with major moster swings this summer.
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