The Milwaukee Bucks made one of the most notable moves this offseason by signing Myles Turner away from the Pacers. Replacing the departed Brook Lopez, Turner once again gives them that floor-spacing, switchable shot-blocker that Lopez was on the title squad before age finally slowed him down last season to the point that he no longer fit the roster.
With Bobby Portis and Jericho Sims off the bench, the Milwaukee Bucks have one of the best center rotations in the Eastern Conference.
Ranking center rotations in the Eastern Conference
1. New York Knicks - Karl Anthony-Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Guerschon Yabusele
2. Milwaukee Bucks - Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Jericho Sims
3. Atlanta Hawks - Oneyka Okongwu, Kristaps Portzingis, Mouhamed Gueye
4. Miami Heat - Kel'el Ware, Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic
5. Philadelphia 76ers - Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Andre Drummond
6. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jarrett Allen, Larry Nance Jr., Evan Mobley
7. Detroit Pistons - Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Paul Reed
8. Orlando Magic - Wendell Carter, Moritz Wagner, Goga Bitadze
9. Chicago Bulls - Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Jalen Smith
10. Toronto Raptors - Jakob Poeltl, Jonathan Mogbo, Sandro Mamukelashvili
11. Brooklyn Nets - Nic Claxton, Day'ron Sharpe, Danny Wolf
12. Indiana Pacers - Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, Obi Toppin
13. Washington Wizards - Alex Sarr, Tristan Vukcevic, Marvin Bagley III
14. Boston Celtics - Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Luka Garza
15. Charlotte Hornets - Mason Plumee, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Moussa Diabate
Myles Turner and Bobby Portis give the Bucks a floor-spacing combination of scoring (both), rebounds (Portis), and rim protection (Turner). Sims isn't bad as an athletic third-stringer and can work surprisingly well with Giannis.
On top of having a rock-solid floor of production, the trio complements each other very well. Turner and Portis should combine for 30 points per game. At the five-spot, Milwaukee is right there at the top of the East.
Notable team ahead: New York Knicks. Whatever his defensive flaws, Karl Anthony-Towns is a beast on the other end of the floor. That much is undeniable. Behind him, the Knicks have Guershon Yabusele as a small-ball five and Mitchell Robinson as a rim protector (when healthy). If not by much, putting Knicks centers atop the conference seems a safe bet for now.
Notable team behind: Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid just can't stay healthy; listing the 76ers fifth is a hedge on his health that, in reality, maybe be too hopeful. What does a full Embiid season look like? 50 games? When he plays, will he match the level of the 2023 MVP winner, or not quite? Behind him, the 76ers are thin. Filling 30-40 starts with quality minutes could be challenging.
The Milwaukee Bucks have a similar vulnerability at power forward, but not nearly to the same extent. True, Giannis Antetokounmpo has had his own nagging injuries in recent years, and the Bucks can ill afford an extended absence. The good news is that, despite his bumps and bruises, he has maintained a floor of availability that has not sunk below 60 games in a season.
Moreover, adding Myles Turner at center could be a durability lifesaver, allowing Giannis to conserve energy and offload the toughest defensive matchups. While no one on the Bucks roster has the Greek Freak's ferocious athleticism, Turner can anchor the rim defense and keep up with more agile bigs in a way this team has missed at the five-spot since prime Lopez.