With the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes apparently near a conclusion, another prominent Bucks player could be on the move — if Milwaukee continues to wheel and deal.
Citing a pair of league sources, Michael Grange of Sportsnet reports that the Raptors could be interested in Bucks center Myles Turner if Milwaukee decide to go into fire-sale mode.
Turner was one of the more prominent free agents on the market last season. He received a bigger payday than any other player who changed teams, signing a four-year, $109MM contract with the Bucks.
But it was a disappointing first year in Milwaukee for Turner, as the big man saw his production drop off. He averaged just 11.9 points (0n 44% shooting), 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. In his last season with Indiana, Turner averaged 15.6 PPG on 48.4% shooting, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG and 2.0 BPG.
Turner, who has three years and $83.8MM remaining on his deal, would still be considered an upgrade over Jakob Poeltl. Grange notes that his profile as a floor-stretching rim protector would likely fit the Raptors’ current roster better than Poeltl, whose lack of a perimeter game creates spacing issues for top scorers Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.
Offloading Poeltl would be difficult, given his contract situation. He will make $19.5MM next season before a three-year, $84MM extension kicks in. The first two years of that extension are fully guaranteed, while the final season includes a partial guarantee.