The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA world on July 1. First, Milwaukee came to a four-year agreement with free agent big man Myles Turner using a salary cap mechanism that no one could fully understand. Shortly after, word came to light that the Bucks were creating the space to add Turner by choosing the nuclear option of waiving and stretching Damian Lillard's nine-figure contract over a period of five years.
The Lillard decision set off a number of reactions across the landscape, but it also provided Lillard with the opportunity to choose his next destination as a free agent for the first time in his NBA career. Because he is coming back from an Achilles tear, Lillard projects to be a non-factor for the 2025-26 season, even if there is a small chance that he could return by the playoffs in some capacity. With that in mind, the real focus is on the 2026-27 season and beyond.
In short, most NBA teams would be incentivized to inquire about Lillard's status, even if they are not in a position to win big. Lillard is earning his money from Milwaukee either way, so he could sign a bargain-basement contract that virtually any team could ink. Still, there is a big difference between teams that would be interested and teams that provide the clearest path to Lillard winning an NBA title if that is the No. 1 priority on his list.
In this space, we'll highlight the three teams that would give Lillard the biggest chance to earn a ring in the short term.
Boston Celtics
It might seem odd to have the Celtics on this list, particularly after they traded away both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in a re-tooling effort. Boston is certainly taking something of a "gap year" in 2025-26 with Jayson Tatum unavailable, but the Celtics could be loading back up as soon as 2026-27.
Overall, it seems safe to project that Boston is a well-run organization under Brad Stevens' leadership, and adding Lillard to a team with Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and that braintrust would be a quick way to get back into the title mix. Also, Boston is the kind of team in which Lillard would not need to have as big of a role as he did before the injury, which is probably the safest avenue given Lillard's age.
Houston Rockets
Houston has been very, very busy already this offseason. They've locked up key pieces of their rotation to team-friendly deals. They've added Kevin Durant as a big swing for the present. And, importantly, they've done it all without sacrificing their ability to build a sustainable winner.
Point guard is not a current need for the Rockets with Fred VanVleet under contract, but he has a player option for the 2026-27 season that creates at least a little bit of uncertainty. Houston does have Reed Sheppard behind VanVleet but, in the event that Lillard might be looking for a ready-made title contender to join, the Rockets would fit that bill. They can surround him with length and defense, with Lillard able to come in and do what he does on the offensive end, albeit in a smaller role than with Portland or Milwaukee earlier in his career.
Minnesota Timberwolves
As good as Mike Conley still is, he can't play forever. The diminutive point guard will be 38 in October, and the Wolves already invested in the future at the position by drafting Rob Dillingham. As such, Minnesota may not end up being the cleanest fit by the time Lillard returns.
In the same breath, this is a team that just made back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, and point guard is a relative weakness on the roster. If Lilllard is back to anything approaching pre-injury levels, he'd form an intriguing partnership with Anthony Edwards. Like Houston, Minnesota could also surround Lillard with defense, and the Wolves would be a title contender with Lillard in the fold.