At one point this offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks lingered as potential suitors for Deandre Ayton in free agency. Instead, they went with Myles Turner in a higher-risk, higher-reward maneuver that involved waiving Damian Lillard. Ayton ended up joining the Lakers. The first glimpses of both players in action strongly suggest that the Bucks front office made a home run decision in taking one over the other.
While Ayton already looks lost, Turner fits Bucks like a glove
Turner was not at his most efficient in the season opener against the Wizards, shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arc. Still, he looked more than comfortable serving a variety of functions.
On offense, he consistently made himself wide open on the perimeter - knocking down those looks is the next step. He moved well within the flow of the offense, in the right place at the right time, whether on the outside or under the basket. He also flexed solid passing chops, an underrated area of his game. His five assists tied Giannis Antetokounmpo and Cole Anthony for the team lead.
Defensively, Turner looks like the paint protector the Bucks needed to replace Brook Lopez, one who can keep up with nimbler players. He blocked three shots and did not have much trouble doing so. His length was clearly evident as he reached over the top of Wizards players going up for shots at the rim to swat the ball away.
No, the Wizards are not elite competition, and yes, it's only one game, but Turner seems to feel right at home in Doc Rivers' system.
Imagine if the Bucks signed Ayton instead. He had 10 points and six rebounds in his Lakers debut, but he also committed four turnovers and did not look comfortable on the court. He admitted post-game to being a "confusing pick and roll partner," which is concerning. The Lakers brought him in to set screens for Luka Doncic and roll to the rim for lobs, as a 7-footer in general and as a non-shooter in particular. Yikes.
Maybe he'll get the hang of things, but inconsistency and dysfunction are just part of the Ayton experience. The Bucks look all the smarter for avoiding it.
Despite being a former No. 1 overall pick, Ayton is not the most athletic of big men, either. His footwork can be clunky. His lack of shooting range could be disastrous in starter-level minutes alongside Giannis. He's not great at knowing where to be and when. He can look confused or, worse, apathetic. Turner, on the other hand, is a surprisingly good communicator and energetic leader.
The Bucks do not have a star to pair with Giannis. That makes fit and "doing the little things" all the more important. They want to play a fast-paced, floor-spacing style for which Turner is much better suited than Ayton. Call it confirmation bias, but if opening night is any indication, the Bucks made the right choice.