In a desperate attempt to appease their franchise star, the Milwaukee Bucks are retooling in an incredibly unconventional manner. After an unsuccessful pair of seasons that ended in a devastating Achilles tear for Damian Lillard, Milwaukee made the surprising decision to cut ties with the future Hall of Famer, instead opting to pay out his remaining salary over the next five years. In doing so, the Bucks opened up enough cap space to sign Myles Turner away from the Indiana Pacers.
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Turner has long been rumored to be on his way out of Indiana, yet the veteran big man lasted a decade with the franchise before finally finding a new home. The three-and-D center has been coveted by several contenders over the years and now finds himself in a perfect frontcourt fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As a feared rim protector and reliable shooting threat, Turner will undoubtedly elevate Milwaukee next season. But the team will have to hope his addition is enough to keep Giannis happy, as the rest of the team’s roster leaves much to be desired. Since the two-time MVP hasn’t given any more reason to think he’s searching for a way out of Milwaukee, this appears to be a positive move for the team.
“Speaking of Giannis, I know there was this rush, like, what did Giannis think about this? This is great,” Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. “And even we on First Take, we were like, you know, this might be the type of thing that convinces Giannis to stay. Because I do think Giannis is looking for a reason to stay in Milwaukee.”
After spending 12 seasons, winning a championship and stacking up numerous accolades with the Bucks, it’s no surprise that the Greek Freak isn’t eager to depart from the franchise that watched him transform into a superstar. But at 30 years old and with a middling roster around him, it’s been understandably questioned if Giannis would look for greener pastures this summer.
“He let the draft go by without making a peep, and he’s let free agency go by without making a peep,” Windy added. “He’s clearly not looking for reasons to leave, because we could present a few for him if he wanted,” Tim McMahon chimed in with a laugh.
It may not be a long-term solution, but the former Defensive Player of the Year has to be somewhat moved by Milwaukee’s urgency to bring in a competitive squad to support him. With a weakened Eastern Conference, the Bucks may be able to recover from what has been viewed as a lost season.
With just two years remaining on Antetokounmpo’s contract before a player option comes into play, though, a simple playoff appearance may not be enough to convince him to return on one last mega-deal. A talent of his caliber desires more.
Lillard’s career-changing injury may have given the Bucks a grace period, but if the team hopes to hang on to their superstar long-term, they’ll do everything in their power to return to contention in the next two years.
