The Bucks had many notable departures this offseason, but the biggest addition was center Myles Turner. After spending his entire career in Indiana, Turner comes to the Bucks fresh off a Finals run and hoping to find even more postseason success. He will be filling the starting spot occupied for many years by Brook Lopez, and he seems to have a great mentality going into that role.
Turner acknowledged that he has big shoes to fill and that it will be a tall task to replace the impact of NBA champion Brook Lopez. He told reporters at media day, "I have big shoes to fill, to say the least. We have an NBA champion in Brook Lopez who departed here. I know what he was able to be not only for the organization but for the city."
It’s refreshing to hear such a humble yet determined approach to his on-court role. Fortunately, Turner is perfectly equipped to replicate Lopez's impact.
Myles Turner endears himself an opening presser
Like Brook Lopez, Myles Turner plays a 3-and-D role at his best. His shooting ability, combined with his defensive acumen, is rare at the center position and fits perfectly next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. When the Bucks won the championship, they did so with Brook Lopez spacing the floor and protecting the rim - which is exactly what Myles Turner can also do.
Some fans feared that Turner would try to do too much in Milwaukee and expand beyond the role where he’s most effective. Recognizing the importance of Brook Lopez to the Bucks’ championship team certainly implies that Turner accepts the same role, with slight modifications.
The biggest difference will be that Turner is not the same post scorer that Lopez was. Although Lopez didn’t get many straight post touches when Giannis was in the game, he could occasionally erupt for dominant performances in the post against smaller or less experienced defenders. The most famous example is Game 5 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
However, Turner does make up for his relative lack of a post game with a tighter handle and more quickness than Lopez. He’s able to attack closeouts in multiple ways with his dribble and is a great finisher in the short roll. Expect him to run a lot of pick-and-rolls with Giannis or other ball-handlers this season.
Turner and Lopez are both considered weak rebounders for their size, but this weakness is irrelevant on the Bucks. Both Giannis and Bobby Portis, who Turner will often share the court with, are elite rebounders from the power forward position. The team can hold its own on the glass without its center grabbing double-digit boards.
Overall, Turner’s biggest inflection point will be his defense. Earlier in his career, Turner was one of the league’s premier shot blockers, peaking at an absurd 3.4 blocks per game in 2021. But his defense has dipped a bit in recent seasons as Indiana has rolled out a more offensively oriented lineup. If Turner can get back to playing his best defense and inspire Giannis to do the same, the Bucks can once again be a premier defense.
Myles Turner has a very important role to play this season, but he’s the perfect choice to do it. Turner has all the tools and skills to replicate the impact of a younger Brook Lopez. If he puts it all together, the Bucks could get back to being a dangerous playoff team.