However, this can be a beautiful transfer for Turner, who spent his first 10 years within the NBA with the Pacers and was the group’s longest-tenured participant because it made a Cinderella run all the way in which to Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals this previous season.
Charania indicated that Turner needed to remain in Indiana, however the Pacers did not need to go over the tax, particularly within the wake of star guard Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles tear. With the Pacers unwilling to make a proposal, the Bucks got here in and stole Turner from a division rival.
The Bucks are attempting to retool on the fly and construct a championship-level supporting forged for Antetokounmpo amid rumors that the “Greek Freak” would request a commerce from Milwaukee. Nevertheless, this signing exhibits that the Bucks are all in on holding their championship window open and making their franchise famous person blissful.
Turner supplies the Bucks with three-point capturing and nice inside protection. Final yr, the Bucks had been the perfect three-point capturing group within the league, in line with NBA Superior Stats, so placing a floor-spacing heart like Turner into an offense that already likes to shoot threes looks like a match made in basketball heaven.
Milwaukee additionally wanted assistance on the defensive finish. Whereas its Twelfth-ranked protection from final yr wasn’t terrible, it was nowhere close to championship degree, and Turner can certainly assist increase the group’s defensive acumen.
In some ways, Turner will slide proper into the function by which the Bucks’ earlier heart, Brook Lopez, served. Like Turner, Lopez may stretch the ground in addition to he may defend the paint. Lopez performed his function completely throughout the Bucks’ 2021 championship run, and if Turner generally is a youthful, extra athletic model of Lopez, the Bucks ought to return to title rivalry as soon as once more.
That is additionally an ideal match for Turner, as enjoying alongside Antetokounmpo will shore up a number of the holes in Turner’s sport, most significantly offensive rebounding.
It is robust to see Lillard’s time in Milwaukee come to such an unceremonious ending, however the Bucks are making the suitable choices to return to title rivalry.
