The Milwaukee Bucks' stunning signing of Myles Turner last summer has not panned out like they had initially hoped. Not only has Turner not lived up to the hype, but the Bucks are also eating a good bit of change from the corresponding move to waive Damian Lillard and will continue to do so over the next several years. With the Bucks destined to miss the playoffs, the move has backfired.
How bad?
So bad that it ranks No. 1 on ESPN's worst transactions since last offseason list. Zach Kram thinks it's an even worse move than New Orleans trading an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta for the chance to move up in last year's draft, which was a disaster from the jump. Milwaukee's poor season, paired with Turner's lack of productivity, has overtaken that (at least NOLA got Derik Queen).
Expectations were always high regarding Myles Turner
It was easy to love the Turner move when it happened. Brook Lopez was clearly out of his prime, and the Bucks needed a replacement. Turner offered far more youth and athleticism along with his two-way that made him a theoretical seamless fit. Lillard was likely not going to play a single game this season, so the Bucks cut him to make a win-now move. It made all the sense in the world—at the time.
In return, Turner has turned in one of the least-productive seasons of his career.
Offensively, he has been reduced to a 3-point shooter, attempting a career-low percentage of 2-point looks. Defensively, the juice is there, but it hasn't been as prominent as it had been in recent seasons. Over the last couple of months, Doc Rivers, who has factored into these struggles, has taken a liking to Jericho Sims and Bobby Portis at the center spot over Turner.
As the second-highest paid player on the roster, it's inexcusable for a minimum contract player to be taking your playing time. It only further validates ESPN's claim about the Turner move not working out.
Myles Turner's story with the Bucks isn't over
Things look bad, but one bad year doesn't define a player. It's not like the Milwaukee Bucks are in the best shape. Injuries—both to himself and teammates—have certainly played a part in Turner's rough season. If this group had been healthy for a good chunk of the season, perhaps things would have been different. Turner has played his best basketball with Giannis Antetokounmpo next to him.
Of course, the elephant in the room is that a new coach could potentially help Turner get back on the right track. He and Doc Rivers just have not seen eye to eye this season on the court. Perhaps a new leading voice could look to unearth the Indiana version of Myles Turner the Milwaukee Bucks thought they were getting when they made the move to acquire him in the first place.
Turner should use all of this as fuel. No one is more frustrated about this than he is. He left Indiana to get his payday and try to win. Only one of those two things has come to fruition this season.
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