Considering that he reportedly had a hand in recruiting him to the Milwaukee Bucks, it makes plenty of sense that Giannis Antetokounmpo is excited about his new frontcourt partner. Speaking to the panel of reporters at Bucks media day, Giannis highlighted his excitement for the arrival of Myles Turner and how well they will mesh on the court.
"He's one of the bigs that we can fit so well together. He's one of the best bigs in the league... I'm very excited for him. I think that was an incredible move."
“I know the fans are excited but I think me and Myles are more excited than anybody.”
Antetokounmpo, Turner will only elevate one another
The excitement from Antetokounmpo is beyond justifiable. Though Brook Lopez was a tremendous frontcourt partner for many years, it was clear that a change was needed. At 37, Lopez wasn't who he once was on either side of the floor. With an emphasis on making the entire roster younger, the Bucks have now paired Giannis with a 29-year-old two-way big man.
Immediately, Turner makes the Milwaukee Bucks a much more versatile squad. He can defend the rim at an elite level - he's been the NBA's Block Champion twice - but he can also defend in space when it is time. He's not elite in that regard, but he's capable. Lopez, on the other hand, always struggled with this and was often pulled out of games because of it.
Teams will have a tough time scoring on both Antetokounmpo and Turner, who have the height, length, and athletic ability to make life tough for even the best offensive players.
It won't be surprising if both players are on the ballot for All-Defensive honors this coming season. Depending on how much Turner and Antetokounmpo can elevate this defense and each other, there could also be chatter about the Defensive Player of the Year honor making its way back to Milwaukee.
Then there's the offensive side of things. Everyone knows Giannis needs perimeter shooting around him to thrive, and Turner brings that. In fact, he made the second-most 3-pointers out of any center in the entire NBA last season. He could even take that shooting up a notch with all of the spacing he will earn next to Giannis, who commands attention from defenders like few other players in history.
After being a fine role player for years, it won't be surprising if Turner takes on the most offensive responsibility of his career with a larger role in Milwaukee.
On paper, the fit between these two has all of the potential to work out. Yet, the same was true upon Damian Lillard's arrival in Milwaukee. Unlike that pairing, these two could mesh on both sides of the basketball court, which could help fuel things.
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