The problem with a Milwaukee Bucks’ trade package for Myles Turner

There have been rumors swirling throughout the NBA’s Central Division recently, and while the Milwaukee Bucks have not been directly involved, some believe they should be.

Those rumors are coming from the Indiana Pacers, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required) recently reported that Indy could be looking to blow up their roster and enter a rebuild. That would mean building block players like Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, and potentially even former Buck Malcolm Brogdon could become available for trade. Yet, the one Pacer that has Bucks fans most intrigued is Myles Turner, the defensive-minded big man.

Typically, the Bucks would not be mentioned in such a rumor. However, the recent back issues of starting center Brook Lopez have catapulted them right into the discussion. With Lopez missing all but one game this season and having back surgery that will keep him out for the next few months, the defending champions have a massive hole in the middle without him. Although Bobby Portis is doing an excellent job filling in for Lopez in the starting five and newcomer DeMarcus Cousins has been solid off the bench, some think the Bucks should go all-in for Turner.

Sure, the thought of trading for Turner is appealing and would help alleviate Milwaukee’s current center predicament, but a deal is far easier said than done. The biggest reason for that starts with whatever trade package the Bucks would offer for Turner. Considering just how deprived of assets this team is right now after making sizeable moves over the past few seasons, piecing together a desirable deal is tough. Let us take a look at what is likely viewed as the best trade offer that Milwaukee can make for Turner and discuss why Indiana would hang up the phone.

The problem with the Milwaukee Bucks’ trade package for Myles Turner

First and foremost, if the Pacers will indeed enter a rebuild, it does not seem likely that they would want to bring aboard a 33-year-old center coming off a back procedure. They could look to flip him to another team for other assets if they did agree on this deal for whatever reason, but it would be far more feasible to believe they would like to steer clear of that scenario entirely.

The other two players in this deal would be Donte DiVincenzo and Jordan Nwora, who are both far younger than Lopez and would fit Indiana’s rebuilding timeline better. DiVincenzo is 24-years-old and Nwora is 22, meaning they could be long-term pieces that have hardly scratched the surface of their potential. Yet, DiVincenzo is coming off his second season-ending surgery in three seasons and has not appeared in a game this season. Meanwhile, Nwora has shown glimpses of potential throughout his second year with the Bucks, but he has been replaced in the rotation recently by Rodney Hood and the newly-signed Wesley Matthews.

DiVincenzo and Nwora are also both heading toward free agency at the season’s end. The Pacers would have to understand this and likely be willing to pay both players. Throwing Lopez into that equation just tacks on more doubt that the Pacers would entertain such a deal, and that is without even bringing up the draft capital. The Bucks are obviously very low on picks over the next several years, and they certainly cannot offer as desirable of draft picks that a rebuilding team like Indiana would want in this situation as other teams could. A deal just seems unlikely on so many fronts.

Bucks fans should not get their hopes up.