The current NBA offseason has seen a range of stunning moves taking place, but none beats the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard’s contract. The Bucks stretched the remaining $113 million of Dame’s contract over five seasons, thereby creating financial room to make immediate improvements.
Now, it has been confirmed that this is also the consensus among General Managers in the NBA, as per the 2025-26 NBA GM Survey. An overwhelming 43% of GMs believe that Milwaukee waiving and stretching Lillard’s contract was the most surprising move of the offseason.
Lillard eventually signed a three-year, $42 million deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. On the other hand, the Bucks’ most significant upgrade came in the form of the four-year, $108.9 million deal they signed Myles Turner to. The free-agent signing was selected as the second-most surprising move of the offseason, with 30% of the votes.
Those two were the runaway favorites, with two offseason moves tying for third place with 7% of the votes each. The first was the Atlanta Hawks-New Orleans Pelicans draft day trade, via which Derick Queen went to New Orleans in exchange for Asa Powell and a future first-round pick.
The second was the Boston Celtics deciding to break up their core in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s injury. Boston moved on the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and did not re-sign Al Horford, saving over $300 million in payroll and luxury tax.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ signing of DeAndre Ayton and the Denver Nuggets’ decision to send Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson were also seen as surprising offseason moves. Further, the Sacramento Kings’ decision to sign Dennis Schroder and the Portland Trail Blazers’ decision to draft Hansen Yang at No. 16 also received votes.
Fair to say that NBA GMs had a long list of moves they saw as surprising this offseason.
