The Defensive Player of the Year conversation might be over before it starts, and Myles Turner's arrival in Milwaukee has created the perfect storm for individual recognition.
While other candidates struggle with inconsistent team defense or limited playing time, Turner has landed in the one situation that historically transforms good rim protectors into award winners.
The competition will be stiff and the noise will be constant, but Turner's biggest opponent will be himself. His two blocks per game last season weren't quite enough to even contend for the award at the time, but those numbers should increase under Milwaukee's tighter defensive infrastructure.
The Bucks put Turner in the perfect situation to do what he does best
The precedent couldn't be clearer for Turner, who is already frequently mentioned as a top contender for the DPOY year after year. Brook Lopez very nearly took home the award next to Giannis Antetokounmpo when he was the runner-up for the award during the 2022-23 season.
As the rim-protecting anchor of an elite defensive unit that year, Lopez then received a total of 309 votes, finishing behind the eventual awardee, Jaren Jackson Jr., who had 391.
With a quality group of defenders around him, Turner could leverage the same defensive system that elevated Lopez's candidacy and individual recognition.
History shows us rim protectors thrive next to the Greek Freak, and Turner's statistical profile suggests he's perfectly suited to maximize that partnership. When he was on the floor for the Pacers last season, opposing offenses scored 3.4 fewer points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. That was good enough to place Turner in the 79th percentile among centers.
With Antetokounmpo roving the floor as a help defender and the likes of Andre Jackson Jr. and Kyle Kuzma mucking things up at the point of attack, Milwaukee's championship-tested defensive system should amplify his impact significantly. All of this adds up to exactly the kind of situation that allows for statistical dominance at the center position that DPOY voters love to see.
The timing works perfectly for Turner's candidacy, too. With the likes of Lopez and Rudy Gobert aging and Victor Wembanyama still relatively young, the award could still be wide open for a player who can combine elite shot-blocking with team success.
But perhaps the biggest boon for his argument is that he'll now be playing alongside another defensive juggernaut in Giannis, who also has a DPOY to his name. Their unique defensive tandem alone could stifle opposing offenses in ways that individual metrics struggle to capture and net them both the recognition that they deserve.
If Turner can stay healthy and Milwaukee recaptures its identity as a defensive juggernaut this coming season, don't be surprised to see Turner emerge as a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year honors.