Perhaps the biggest surprise signing during the NBA offseason was Myles Turner signing a free agent deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. Turner signed a four-year deal worth $108.9 million to play with the Bucks after spending his entire career with the Pacers.
In order to make room for Turner, the Bucks used the waive-and-stretch provision on Damian Lillard. That means the Bucks will have around $22 million of dead cap on their books for the next five seasons. Turner was brought in to be their second-best player.
Despite playing his entire career in Indiana, he opted for Milwaukee. The Pacers had just made the NBA Finals with Turner as their starting center, as well. Recently, Turner detailed his reasoning for moving to Milwaukee and not staying in Indiana.
Milwaukee Bucks Center Myles Turner Wanted to Feel Valued
While speaking on teammate Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast The Thanalysis Show, Turner detailed the process of free agency.
“I think I had a vision for myself with Indiana and the organization, and things just didn’t go the way I had foresaw and foreseen it. The way everything transpired, I had to keep everything under my belt. None of my teammates knew what was going on. My family barely knew what was going on.”
Once Bucks GM Jon Horst reached out is when Turner started thinking about the possibilities of playing for another team.
“When Jon had reached out and presented the situation and whatnot, I was elated. One, it was an organization that saw the potential in me and wanted to value me for where I was in my career.”
Turner then got to the real reason why he chose Milwaukee over Indiana, detailing the finances that he had while with the Pacers.
“When I was in Indiana, I took a very team-friendly rookie extension. I took an even more team-friendly extension off that. For me personally, I was 29 years old, coming off some of my better years in the league and this was one of the better times for me to secure even more wealth for my family.”
The Bucks Have Gotten Strong Defense From Myles Turner
So far this season, Turner has delivered strong play on the defensive side of the court. Turner is averaging 2.2 blocks per game in the five games Milwaukee has played so far this season. His offense has been slow to come around, as he’s only averaging 10 points per game.
Turner’s defense has been especially strong when it comes to defending the 3-point line. Players are shooting just 21.1 percent from beyond the 3-point line with him defending. That was something that was lacking with Milwaukee a season ago.
Turner seems happier in Milwaukee than he was in Indiana. Perhaps the constant trade rumors in Indiana were wearing on him and the love he had for the Pacers. He does have respect for former teammate Tyrese Haliburton, letting Antetokounmpo know he respects how good he is.
Milwaukee is 4-1 so far this season and sits third in the Eastern Conference standings through the first week of the year.
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