Myles Turner is rolling into his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks, landing at number five in their “Ranking the Roster” series, and believe it or not, his journey to Milwaukee was pure drama. Fresh off Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals where he put up just six points and four rebounds, he instantly became the target of Pacers fans who felt he totally ghosted them after Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles in the first quarter. Oof.
The Contract, The Drama, The Vision
This whole saga really kicked off during free agency when the Pacers threw a three-year, $66 million deal at the veteran big man. Turner, apparently, thought that was a major lowball offer. So, what happened next? He bolted, snatching up a four-year, $107 million deal from the Bucks after Jon Horst pulled off that wild waive-and-stretch move with Damian Lillard’s contract. You see those numbers and think, “massive difference,” right? But when you break it down, it’s $22 million annual average from the Pacers versus $26.75 million from the Bucks. Not *that* much more, really. For context, Brook Lopez was making $25 million in his last year with the Bucks. So, Milwaukee’s front office basically saw an open lane to grab a “young Brook Lopez” and swipe a player from a rival, while the Pacers just weren’t down to go into the luxury tax or commit an extra year to him. So, was the move a steal or a mistake? The answer, like so much with this team, is kinda hazy.
Last Season’s Juggling Act
Turner was brought in for one super specific reason: play alongside Giannis and stretch that floor. Even with injuries last season, the game plan never changed for him. He was out there chucking up three-pointers more often than ever in his career, and at the same time, he took the fewest two-point attempts he’s ever had. That’s because Turner really had to lean on other guys for shot creation; a massive 87 percent of his made field goals were assisted, which is right in line with his career average. Even with Ryan Rollins showing some flashes, the Bucks just didn’t have that consistent creator who could properly feed Turner. What was the result? His player efficiency rating (PER) tanked to 14.2, the absolute lowest of his career.
So, how can we call this “murky” when his first season looks like a total mess on paper? Honestly, it hasn’t been anywhere near the disaster some folks are claiming. Yeah, offensively, it was a down year for sure. But the dude still shot 38.3 percent from deep on serious volume! And defensively? Turner is still a brick wall. Last season, he ranked sixth overall in blocks per game. His defensive on/off numbers? Straight up very good. So while the offensive numbers might make you squint, the defense proves Turner is still a legit force. The vibes might be “divine” for some, but the reality is way more complicated than just that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
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