The Bucks Have a Myles Turner Problem Nobody Wants to Solve

When Myles Turner stunned the Indiana Pacers by signing with the Milwaukee Bucks last offseason, the move was viewed as an aggressive attempt by Milwaukee to keep its championship window open around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Just over a year later, that decision is looking significantly different.

ESPN's Ben Golliver recently examined where all 30 NBA teams stand following the offseason, and his assessment of Milwaukee included a noteworthy update on the former Pacers center.

"The bad news: They haven't yet found a take for Myles Turner, who was signed to a four-year, $107 million contract last summer in a failed attempt to appease Antetokounmpo," Golliver wrote.

That's quite the turn of events for Turner.

Milwaukee made a massive financial commitment to Turner after his 10 seasons with Indiana, signing the veteran big man to a four-year deal while simultaneously making the stunning decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard. The maneuver allowed the Bucks to create the necessary financial flexibility to acquire Turner.

At the time, the Bucks were desperately trying to maximize their remaining years with Antetokounmpo. Turner appeared to make sense as a floor-spacing, shot-blocking center who could complement the two-time MVP.

Instead, the gamble didn't produce the desired results.

Turner averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds during his first season in Milwaukee. Then the situation the Bucks were desperately attempting to avoid became reality when Antetokounmpo was eventually traded to the Miami Heat.

That has left Milwaukee in an awkward position with Turner.

Mar 19, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) waits for the game to start against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 30-year-old still has three years remaining on his contract, and Golliver previously identified trading Turner as one of the moves Milwaukee should pursue as it transitions into a new era. The idea would be to send him to a playoff contender while potentially adding more draft capital to the Bucks' rebuilding efforts.

Apparently, finding that trade hasn't been easy.

Indiana faced plenty of criticism after allowing its longtime starting center to leave following its run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Turner joined one of the Pacers' biggest rivals on a lucrative contract, while Indiana was forced to move forward without a player who had spent his entire career with the organization.

Myles and Giannis f — Nov 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates with Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One year later, Turner is reportedly a player Milwaukee can't find a taker for.

Signing Turner will go down as one of the most disastrous moves in franchise history. He is significantly overpaid for his production, his contract is impossible to move, and he's standing in the way of younger talent that the franchise should be prioritizing.

The Bucks signed Turner hoping he could help convince Antetokounmpo that Milwaukee was still the place to compete for championships.

Instead, Giannis is gone, Milwaukee is rebuilding, and Turner's contract has become another problem the Bucks are trying to solve.

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