The Milwaukee Bucks have already blown up the look of their roster, and the next move seems obvious: Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner are the two names that still don’t fit the direction this team is heading.
Milwaukee’s makeover started with the massive deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis. The Bucks also used pick No. 13 to draft Nate Ament, and that haul helped push the franchise into a very different place than it was a year ago.
They kept turning the page on Tuesday, sending Taurean Prince and Gary Harris to the Detroit Pistons for Caris LeVert and two second-round picks. Prince and Harris combined to appear in 74 games, and both were on expiring contracts. The move made Milwaukee younger and added more draft capital to work with in another deal or two.
That’s where Turner and Kuzma come in.
Milwaukee has already shown it is willing to explore the market for both players, and that makes sense given the way the roster is being reshaped. Fischer said, “Myles Turner is available. The Bucks are definitely working through and trying to asses the trade market for all of Tyler Herro, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma”
Turner arrived in Milwaukee on a four-year, $107 million deal last offseason, but after one year, his stay could be short. He averaged 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 44% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range.
The Bucks also brought in Ware through the Heat trade, and he gives them a younger center option with similar appeal. Ware averaged 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field and 39.5% from three.
He came off the bench in Miami, but Milwaukee could benefit from giving him a bigger role. Backup center Jericho Sims also picked up his player option and is back in Milwaukee, which leaves the Bucks with three centers on the roster, including Turner, who is due $83.8 million over the remaining three years of his contract.
There’s also a market for Turner beyond Milwaukee. In an article by Michael Scotto of Hoopshype, he was tied to several teams while with the Indiana Pacers.
"During his Pacers tenure, Turner was linked to the Hornets, Pelicans, and Lakers in trade rumors at various points," Scotto said. "Those teams could all make sense now, and possibly the Celtics."
Turner’s rim protection and floor spacing make him a logical target for teams looking for help at center.
Kuzma brings a different kind of value. He’s on an expiring deal worth a little over $20 million, and he just posted a season in which he averaged 13 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting a career-high 49.2% from the field. Wings with size are always in demand, and Kuzma checks that box.
Milwaukee has options to replace him, too. The team signed Ousmane Dieng to a three-year, $17.5 million contract after his first season in Milwaukee.
Dieng played in 30 games and averaged 11 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 42.3% from the field and 33.1% from three. He started 20 games, which makes him a natural candidate to step into Kuzma’s spot.
The Bucks also have Nate Ament, Bogoljub Markovic and LeVert, who is 6-foot-7 and can play forward.
At this point, moving Turner and Kuzma looks like the final step in a full reset. Milwaukee has already changed the roster dramatically, and with multiple ways to cover those spots, those are the two names that still feel like they’re waiting to be dealt.
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For a team trying to turn a blockbuster deal into a workable next chapter, even these details matter because they signal the beginning of a new identity. Herros switch to No. 42 stands out most, while Jakucionis keeping No. 25 gives Milwaukee at least one familiar touchpoint as the group settles in. The bigger questions, of course, are still ahead, but the Bucks have at least moved from transaction mode into the part where the roster starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]