After an abrupt end to last season and some major roster changes, the Milwaukee Bucks are gearing up for another season – one with a “younger, more athletic” team, said Bucks’ co-owner Wes Edens.

“With the moves we’ve made, we’ve actually gotten younger while still retaining the character of the team,” Edens said at a Monday press conference to preview the upcoming season.

Over the last several months, the Bucks have restructured the team waving star guard Damian Lillard and acquiring free agent center Myles Turner in a four-year, $107 million deal. Still, the Bucks are on the hook to pay out Lillard’s remaining $113 million over the next five years, the largest contract waiver in NBA history, according to ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps.

“When you have a player of Damian’s caliber who’s not going to play, that leaves a big gap,” Edens said. “While (Lillard’s payout) seems like a giant number, we’ve already spent the money effectively.”

Waiving Lillard, who will likely not play for the entirety of the upcoming season due an Achilles tendon injury, was part of an effort to “make the most out of our opportunity with (Giannis Antetokounmpo),” Edens added.

“We really had to do something substantial and (waiving Lillard) is what we did,” he said. “These are hard decisions you have to make but they’re all done with the intention of trying to win a championship.”

Other notable roster moves include the resigning of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., Jericho Sims and Kevin Porter Jr., among several other internal transactions. The team also added new players Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey and Gary Harris, and said goodbye to veteran players Pat Connaughton and Brook Lopez.

Amidst the roster changes, rumors about Giannis leaving the franchise circled national media outlets post-season. Giannis confirmed Monday that he explored the idea of playing for other teams after last season, but noted the consideration has been part of his off-season routine for many years.

“I want to be on a team that gives me a chance to win a championship,” he said, calling in remote from Greece as he recover’s from COVID-19.

In order to maintain the value of the team while making moves to improve the roster, Bucks management is focusing on continuity as much as it is bringing in a collection of younger players.

“There was some big turnover at the top, but there’s a ton of continuity and value in that continuity,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst.

The team brought back “pretty much everyone that was available,” said Edens.

The Bucks will play their first regular season game on Oct. 22 against the Washington Wizards at Fiserv Forum.