The Milwaukee Bucks and Myles Turner agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal on Tuesday in a deal that nobody saw coming. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania said that Giannis helped recruit Turner to the Bucks after he spent the past 10 seasons with the Pacers.
Fans were ecstatic about the news, thinking that it solidified that Giannis wouldn't request a trade. That thought was short-lived, as Milwaukee waived and stretched the rest of Damian Lillard's contract to get Turner. Chris Haynes reported that Giannis was "unhappy" with the team's decision to waive Dame. With that, the speculation about Giannis requesting a trade ramped up again.
"He just didn't like how it was handled." 😳@ChrisBHaynes reports on Giannis' reaction to Milwaukee waiving Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/cyLzAvtcGS
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 1, 2025
However, it's notable that Giannis wanted Turner in Milwaukee. Charania added that the two "valued the opportunity to partner on the court during the process." Giannis' approval of the signing doesn't mean he won't request a trade this summer (anything can happen in the NBA), but knowing that the Bucks delivered with Turner is good reassurance for fans.
Giannis wanted Myles Turner in Milwaukee with the Bucks
It's worth noting that Haynes is close with Lillard, who could've expressed his frustrations about the Bucks' decision to waive him to Haynes. Giannis approves of the Turner deal, but that doesn't mean he likes Milwaukee's move to waive Lillard. However, Giannis understands that the NBA is a business, and agreeing to a deal with Turner came at a steep price. Perhaps Haynes is doing Giannis a public favor by making it seem like the star was entirely against the Bucks waiving Dame.
Giannis knows that his best chance to win another championship is in the East, which incentivizes him to stay in Milwaukee; however, there is always the possibility that he'll push for a trade to another team in the conference. The Bucks aim to quell speculation about Giannis' future, and it took a bold move to agree to a deal with Turner. Getting the stamp of approval from Giannis says a lot.
Again, the NBA is unpredictable, but it's a promising sign that Giannis' wish to play alongside Turner in Milwaukee was granted.