Myles Turner’s place in Milwaukee may wind up shaping Kel’el Ware’s next step in a very real way.
The Bucks have moved toward a youth-driven direction this summer, but Turner still looks likely to stay put. His down year and the money attached to his deal have not exactly sent opposing teams racing to call Milwaukee, and that leaves the Bucks in a familiar kind of holding pattern. For Ware, that reality cuts both ways.
On one hand, there’s value in the setup. Ware spent his first two seasons learning behind an experienced starter, and now he arrives in Milwaukee to do the same thing all over again.
That kind of role can be useful for a young big man. He can ease into games against backup centers instead of being thrown straight into the deep end, while also picking up details from Turner day after day - things like skills, preparation, recovery, and everything else that comes with being a pro.
But there’s a catch. That same arrangement can slow down how quickly a young player gets real minutes.
It makes sense for a rookie to sit behind a veteran like Kyle Kuzma, as Nate Ament is doing, but Ware is heading into year three. By that point, plenty of young players have already forced their way into the starting five and become regular pieces.
That’s why this situation feels like a double-edged sword for Ware. It can help him grow, but it can also keep him in a smaller role longer than he’d like, especially with a second contract approaching.
The best-case path is pretty clear: Ware learns behind Turner early, then eventually takes over if he shows enough and Turner builds enough value to draw trade interest. In that scenario, the Bucks could decide around the NBA Trade Deadline to move Turner and open up more minutes for Ware.
Of course, that only happens if Ware earns it. If he doesn’t improve much and his old issues keep popping back up, Milwaukee probably won’t be in any hurry to make a Turner move.
Ware has been bounced around Miami’s roster before, but in Milwaukee he has a clean slate. For now, the job is simple: handle the role the Bucks give him and make the most of it.
That’s the path that can set him up best down the line.
In Other News...
Bucks Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Question That Could Define This Rebuild
The Bucks post-Giannis reset has pushed a new frontcourt conversation into the spotlight, and it starts with how Milwaukee sorts out the center spot. After the trade to Miami, the team brought in Kelel Ware as a young piece for the future while keeping Myles Turner and Jericho Sims on the roster, giving the rebuild a mix of size, experience and upside to sort through as it moves forward.
Turner is still under contract despite a disappointing previous season, and the early focus is on getting him more comfortable in Milwaukees system and chemistry with the group. Ware is expected to bring depth and developmental potential off the bench, while Sims is back after exercising his player option following a solid season, leaving the Bucks with options but also a question that could shape how the next phase takes form. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Forward Rotation Just Sent A Message Fans Cant Ignore
The Bucks spent part of the summer doing due diligence on the forward market, and Peyton Watson was on that radar before the conversation with Denver went any further. Milwaukee had preliminary talks with the Nuggets about Watson but never got to the point of making an official offer, and the young forward eventually landed in Cleveland instead. For a team still sorting out how it wants to round out its rotation, it was a reminder that the front office is keeping an eye on options even if nothing materializes right away.
For now, Milwaukee is leaning on its current group of forwards, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kyle Kuzma among the names expected to carry much of the load. The message is pretty clear: the Bucks are willing to wait if the right move is not there today, but they also know the position could use help down the line. That makes the trade market worth watching, because the search for another forward does not feel finished just because one target is off the board. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Forward Rotation Leaves Ousmane Dieng Waiting On One Key Break
The Bucks brought Ousmane Dieng back on a three-year deal, a move that gives them a young frontcourt piece with some runway while they sort out the rest of the rotation. For now, though, the path is fairly straightforward: Kyle Kuzma is expected to open the season as Milwaukees starting power forward, which leaves Dieng in line for a reserve role unless he turns heads in training camp.
Diengs real opportunity may come later. Milwaukee is at least leaving the door open to a midseason Kuzma trade, and if that happens, the minutes picture could change quickly for Dieng. Until then, hes in the familiar position of waiting for one break to turn a bench role into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]