Jalen Duren’s new $200 million deal with the Detroit Pistons has taken one obvious option off the table for the Milwaukee Bucks, and that matters for Myles Turner.
For weeks, there was real chatter that Milwaukee was kicking the tires on Duren, a move that would have almost certainly meant Turner was on the way out. With Duren now locked in, Turner no longer has to look over his shoulder at that particular threat and can settle into his role with the Bucks.
He is Milwaukee’s starting center, and the team has given every indication that it wants to keep it that way for now. After the blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, plenty of people wondered whether Turner might be next in line to be moved as the Bucks tried to recoup assets. Instead, he has stayed in town, even with the tempting possibility of a 22-year-old All-Star being installed in his place.
That possibility is gone, at least for the moment. And with it, the idea of Milwaukee parting with Turner anytime soon looks a lot less likely.
The Bucks also aren’t in a position to treat this season like a reset. They don’t have a pick in next year’s draft, so tanking or punting on the year isn’t really on the menu. The organization clearly believes it can still surprise people, and if that’s the goal, Turner makes a lot more sense on the roster than as a trade chip for future assets.
Still, Milwaukee’s interest in Duren showed the front office is open to the idea of moving Turner if the return is right. The bigger question is what kind of return would actually get their attention. For now, it seems more likely the Bucks would only consider a move if it brought back someone who could help immediately, rather than draft picks or long-term pieces.
That could change later. If the trade deadline gets close and Milwaukee is nowhere near where it wants to be, Turner could become a name to watch again, especially if a contender comes calling. And if the Bucks fall out of the picture, dealing him for something of value would start to make a lot of sense, particularly if Kel’el Ware continues to flash enough potential to take on a full-time starting role.
For the next couple of months, though, Turner can breathe a little easier. He is almost certainly staying put, and Bucks fans will get a chance to see what he can do in this new system as he looks to bounce back from last season’s shortcomings.
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From Milwaukees perspective, the contrast is hard to miss. Portis also looked back on the Bucks difficult 2022-2023 season, describing the strain of being on a younger roster that had to navigate trade rumors and the noise that comes with social media. It is a reminder of how much the final stretch in Milwaukee had become about surviving the outside chatter, even as the focus in Miami now shifts to what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
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For a team trying to find its identity early, that kind of lineup churn can be useful, but it also raises an obvious preseason concern about how long it may take to build chemistry. The Bucks will have time to sort through combinations before games start to count, and Jenkins appears committed to using that runway rather than forcing a quick answer. Elsewhere around the team, co-owner Wes Edens also said he has not considered selling his stake, offering a bit of stability off the court even as the rotation picture remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Face One Young-Core Debate In Any Jalen Duren Pursuit
Any Bucks pursuit of Jalen Duren starts with the same basic question: how much young talent are they willing to part with to solve a frontcourt need? In this hypothetical, Milwaukee would be looking at a swap built around Myles Turner, with AJ Green potentially also in the mix, while trying to avoid including Jaime Jaquez Jr. The appeal is obvious for a team trying to balance immediate help with longer-term value, especially if the goal is to keep a young piece around who could still grow into more.
Jaquez is the tougher name to move because of the upside he brings, and that is part of why Green looks like the cleaner trade chip in this scenario. Milwaukee has to weigh not just whether Duren fits its roster, but whether the price is worth paying when the Bucks could preserve a more intriguing breakout candidate. On Detroits end, the fit would also have to make sense, which is what makes this kind of deal less straightforward than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]