When the Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, the expectation for many, including this writer, was that Jon Horst and company would be going into a full rebuild. But if the latest reporting is true, then the rebuild may not be full speed ahead. Because it looks like the Bucks aren’t looking to move Myles Turner and his contract anytime soon.
That’s according to NBA insider Jake Fischer over on The Stein Line Substack (subscription required). Though nothing was conclusive about Turner’s status on the team for this coming season, it’s quite telling that their search for a trade partner for him has started rather lethargically, considering where they’re (supposed to be) at as an organization.
“Sources say that the Bucks have indeed received some trade interest in veteran center Myles Turner in the wake of the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster, but one league source asserted Friday night that Milwaukee is not actively engaged in moving him,” Fischer wrote.
Bucks don’t know what to do with the remaining Giannis-era veterans
Even just the idea that Milwaukee isn't all-in on trading the rest of their Giannis-era pieces for older stars suggests that they aren't rebuilding. Without their own draft picks, they may be trying to build from the ground up while preserving their competitiveness simultaneously.
What to do with the older remnants of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era is always going to be the main question on Bucks fans’ minds going forward, and rightfully so. If the Bucks are going all in on youth as their recent draft haul suggests, then they should be committing to diving into that path and seeing it through with no reservations.
As earlier reported, the Bucks supposedly want to stay relatively competitive this coming season even after the Giannis trade. This might mean that the likes of Tyler Herro, Kyle Kuzma, and Turner himself are safe for now, for at least another season.
Of course, it makes sense to want to stay competitive. The Bucks don’t have their (or any) draft capital in next year’s NBA Draft, so there’s no incentive for them to tank this season if they can’t reap the benefits.
But if the market is there (and the market is there, as the Raptors were reported to have interest in the shooting big man, per Raptors reporter Michael Grange), then the Bucks should absolutely take the opportunity to offload Turner for assets.
With the Toronto Raptors and other teams reportedly sniffing around, a market exists for a floor-spacing rim protector. By waiting, the Bucks risk watching that market evaporate, and they surely risk seeing Turner’s trade value dip as the team’s win-loss record inevitably struggles to match the height of the previous era.
Milwaukee needs to shed Myles Turner as soon as possible
At this point, it's not a hot take to say that Turner's first season in Milwaukee was a massive step backward. Per PBP Stats, the Bucks were a net-minus 6.03 points per 100 possessions with Turner on the floor. Milwaukee was actively worse with their starting center in the game.
Turner is still owed up to $29 million through 2028 with a player option for the year after. Three more years of that kind of contract on a rebuilding roster next to a young center you're supposed to be developing makes the team worse. The time to move him is now, while his value as a floor-spacer and rim protector still attracts legitimate suitors.
Should they keep him aboard this season, he’d only be taking developmental minutes away from the likes of Kel’el Ware, Nate Ament, Bogoljub Markovic, or any other center they might still acquire this coming offseason. Having another year under his belt on a losing team will also only serve to reduce his trade value, regardless of what he actually shows this season.
If the Bucks are truly committed to a youth-driven rebuild, every minute spent on a veteran like Turner is a minute stripped away from their younger prospects.
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo in tow, the goal is and should be to set the tone for the next generation of Bucks basketball. That means it’s time for the front office to stop being split and start being ruthless about who stays and who goes.
Make no mistake: Myles Turner is an asset, and in this league, assets that don't fit the timeline are meant to be moved.
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