The Milwaukee Bucks' bold move of signing Myles Turner forced them to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard’s contract, and the regret just keeps getting worse. Dame averaged 25 points and seven assists per game last season. Turner is not replacing that production. He is an upgrade over Brook Lopez, but Milwaukee now has an ill-fitting roster, a ton of dead money on their books over the next five years, and may have limited the effectiveness of their ideal playoff look.
The Bucks have a playmaking problem. Giannis averaged 6.5 assists per game last season and will be asked to do more on the ball. Expect him to put up monster numbers, but where does the rest of the creation come from? Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 3.7 assists per game last season. He is not the ideal answer, and Cole Anthony only dished out 2.9 dimes each night for fans thinking he will take it on.
Milwaukee cannot expect Giannis to do everything. He will need to average 30 points per game to make up for Lillard’s scoring. They can’t expect him to also dish out ten dimes. There are roster construction issues, but their biggest problem may be finding a five-man lineup that thrives in the playoffs.
Bucks’ signing Myles Turner is turning into a regrettable move
NBA teams love to lean into playing their best players more in the playoffs. The Bucks' five best on paper are Giannis, Myles Turner, Gary Trent Jr., Bobby Portis, and Kevin Porter Jr., but head coach Doc Rivers can’t use that lineup. Fans may make the case of Kyle Kuzma, but his fit is even more problematic with the addition of Turner. Rivers can’t play three bigs, especially as the opposition goes small and matchup hunts in the postseason. Portis and Turner would be cooked on the perimeter.
The Bucks took away using Giannis at the five with Turner on their roster. Teams will guard their new center with a wing and still go small. Milwaukee doesn’t want Turner defending in space in the playoffs, but the only other option is limiting his minutes. Giannis wants to win championship, so paying that money for someone who fails to make a massive playoff impact is a catastrophic mistake.
The Bucks desperately need a ball-handler and shot creator to round things out. It would allow KPJ to be the sixth man and carve up bench units. They need Kuzma to lock in as a 3-and-D option with Gary Trent and Taurean Prince. Milwaukee would have a stew going if they found a playmaker to run their show and space the floor when Giannis takes over.
Turner is a plus shooter, but he can’t be expected to make plays. The Bucks must put him in positions to succeed, and that could mean limiting his minutes in some playoff matchups.
The Milwaukee Bucks are already experiencing regret about waiving Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner. They had to do something to keep Giannis happy, but the dead money will make building a title contender difficult. Their lack of playmaking and shooting will haunt the franchise, and things get exponentially worse if Antetokounmpo requests a trade.
This roster needs to thrive. If not, Giannis may be looking for a way out, and the Bucks will be stuck in a total rebuild. There is a ton of risk, and all fans can do is hope it works out.