With training camp approaching, the Bucks are heading into the 2026-27 season with real uncertainty at center after a summer that turned the roster upside down. The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat set off the shakeup, and Milwaukee’s big-man group now features a mix of a pricey veteran, a fresh arrival and a returnee who earned his spot.
Myles Turner is still the headliner of that group, even if his first year in Milwaukee went nowhere close to plan. The 11-year veteran put up 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. Those numbers marked the second-lowest scoring and blocks averages of his career, and his field goal percentage and rebounding were both career worsts.
Milwaukee brought Turner in during the 2025 offseason on a four-year, $108.9 million deal in hopes of maximizing the remaining years of Antetokounmpo. Instead, the Bucks stumbled to a 32-50 finish and still lost the two-time MVP. That contract has made Turner difficult to move, and while the Bucks have explored trade possibilities, they haven’t found a destination because of the size of the deal.
For now, Milwaukee is stuck with Turner, but the team still believes he can matter. He has already shown some ownership in the room, hosting a mini training camp in Austin, Texas to help the new group build chemistry. His future in Milwaukee remains unsettled, but he wants to bounce back and help however he can.
The other major name in the mix is Kel'el Ware, one of the pieces Milwaukee landed from Miami in the trade. The 22-year-old center, taken with the No. 15 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, finished his second NBA season with averages of 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game on 53% shooting from the field and 39.5% from 3. He entered the trade as the most appealing asset among the four players involved, thanks to his 7-foot frame and his ability to stretch the floor.
Ware’s time in Miami wasn’t smooth. Questions about his work ethic and effort didn’t sit well with Erik Spoelstra, but Milwaukee gives him a clean slate under head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Ware has already said he’s excited about the chance to play for the Bucks and work with Jenkins, and he believes he can flourish next season. He’ll likely open the year backing up Turner, but he has the tools to become an X-factor.
Jericho Sims rounds out the group after choosing to pick up his $2.8 million player option to stay in Milwaukee. Sims had a strong second season with the Bucks, averaging 5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 78.4% from the field. All of those were career highs for the 27-year-old, including games played and minutes per game.
Sims brings a different kind of value. He plays with nonstop energy, attacks the glass and lives around the rim, where his teammates can feed him for easy finishes.
His 44.5-inch vertical has made him a lob threat and a reliable presence in the dunker spot. He’ll be the third center for Milwaukee this season, but his athleticism and effort should still give him chances to affect games.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Clippers Just Landed In A Brutal Conversation About Their Future
The latest leaguewide projection rundown has put the Bucks in some unexpectedly awkward company, with NBA Analysis Network naming them among the five worst teams for the coming season. It is the kind of early forecast that says as much about perception as it does about results, but it still lands with a jolt for a Milwaukee team that has spent recent years thinking in far different terms. The list leans on recent trades, roster changes and rebuilding moves around the league, offering a snapshot of how quickly the conversation can shift.
For Milwaukee, the bigger issue is not the ranking itself but what it says about the doubts circling the roster heading into the season. The projection is speculative, of course, and the expected win totals are only a forecast, not a verdict, but being grouped with teams navigating clear transitions adds another layer of pressure to a Bucks season that will already be judged against a very high standard. Whether this is a temporary bad read or a sign of a tougher road ahead is the question hanging over the team now. [Read more 🡒]