It is always awful when a player suffers a significant injury. Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury at the worst moment possible, in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Sadly, a significant injury to one team helps out others, and that is the case here as well. Without Haliburton, the Pacers will likely not be anywhere near a contender next season. That might help a couple of teams in the already weakened Eastern Conference. One of those teams that might benefit is the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury Might Have Saved the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks had their own awful injury in the playoffs, with Damian Lillard going down. Things were not looking great for the Bucks, who started last season 3-8, before grinding back to the playoffs. While they secured the fifth spot, the Bucks were a long shot to make the NBA Finals or contend. The only reason people gave them a slim chance was Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With the way the Western Conference has gotten stronger, while the East lost two huge names to injuries in Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, it seems like the Bucks might “survive” a gap year.
There were plenty of rumblings that Antetokounmpo might ask for a trade and seek a better environment. But now, the Bucks do not look that weak. Two of the teams above them in the standings lost their franchise player because of injury for probably all of next season.
How Tyrese’s Injury Impacts Giannis
There were reports that the Bucks will try to trade Antetokounmpo in what could be deemed a gap year. It is something similar to what the Golden State Warriors did when Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson suffered injuries, and KD later left the team via trade. The idea is to see where next season goes, and if they somehow keep their pick, they will have more assets for trades and cap space in the summer of 2026.
Right now, the New Orleans Pelicans can swap their pick with the Bucks in 2026. They will get a first-round pick, but it is just a matter of where it lands. Until the next draft, they cannot use that pick in future trades. The Bucks control their 2031 and 2032 picks. Per NBA rules, they cannot trade picks for more than seven years ahead. Next summer, they will also unlock their 2033 pick, giving them more assets to retool around Giannis.
Speaking of their cap situation, they have $144 million in projected salary for the 2026-27 season. If they find a way to turn Kyle Kuzma into an expiring salary or assets, they will be in a better situation. Lillard will also have a player option for that season, and they might be able to negotiate a smaller salary, but for more years. For next season, the salary cap is set at $154.6 million with the luxury tax at $187 million. But those number will rise by 10% in 2026-27, giving the Bucks more room to operate.
One thing is certain, next season, the Eastern Conference looks to be weaker. Two of the top four teams lost their franchise player to an awful injury. The New York Knicks fired their head coach, and the Cleveland Cavaliers might be shaken after their second-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.
With Antetokounmpo playing at an MVP level, the Bucks can get a top-four seed, and maybe finally get out of the first round. They have lost in the first round for three years in a row.
Four Other Teams Benefit from Tyrese’s Injury
Two of the top four teams last season lost to the Pacers in the playoffs. Both the Cavaliers and the Knicks were surprised by Indiana. With Haliburton out with an Achilles injury, Indiana might not be back in the playoffs next season. The Knicks will be happy that the team that stopped their playoff run for two consecutive seasons might not be there.
Then, we have the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic. The latter added Desmond Bane, and with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, they look like a team that can claim a top-four spot. The Pistons were the surprise team last season, and if they build upon their young core, they can also compete for a top-four spot.
There will be plenty of opportunities for teams in the Eastern Conference to make a jump next season. With Haliburton and Tatum out, the East is more wide open than it has been in recent years.
Photo credit: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The post Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury Might Have Saved the Milwaukee Bucks appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.