The Milwaukee Bucks made a massive splash, but it might have been a little too big for their own good.
Over the past few days, NBA free agency has been in full swing, with teams across the league making deals to try and improve their rosters for next season. Although every team is looking to make some moves, the Bucks made the most surprising move of the summer when they agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with Myles Turner.
Of course, Turner had spent his entire 10-year career in Indiana, helping the Pacers not only reach the NBA Finals in 2025 but also knock out the Bucks in the first round in back-to-back years. His move to Milwaukee upset Pacers fans, with the decision ultimately being about the money.
While the money is what got Turner to Milwaukee, it might have been a mistake. In a recent Bleacher Report article, Andy Bailey tabbed the Myles Turner deal as the biggest overpay of the offseason.
Bailey noted that Turner making nearly $27 million per year isn’t where the problem lies. Instead, it’s that the Bucks had to waive and stretch Damian Lillard to get the deal done, which ultimately means that Milwaukee has a nearly $50 million cap hit for Turner throughout his deal before still getting hit with Lillard’s cap hit a year after the deal ends.
As with any move the Bucks make, they simply need Antetokounmpo to be happy. And if getting Turner keeps him in Milwaukee and increases his belief in the team to compete for a championship, then $50 million per year might be worth it.