Myles Turner explains how he wants to move forward with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Myles Turner signed with the Milwaukee Bucks last offseason as the team used the money freed up by waiving and stretching the contract of Damian Lillard to try and keep a competitive group around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Turner agreed to a four-year, $108 million contract with the thought that he and Giannis would be enough to make the team competitive.
The move was also designed to weaken the Indiana Pacers, who had just made the NBA Finals and had become a thorn in the side of the Bucks.
Turner turned in the most disappointing season of his career, and then went on to make headlines in the offseason by noting that players were late, head coach Doc Rivers didn’t hold certain players accountable, and travel schedules had to change due to tardiness.
Turner Wants To Move Forward
Speaking to the media, Turner stated that he made those comments because it was part of his desire to move forward, and he feels the Bucks have done that with this new regime.
Turner was critical of Giannis and Rivers, noting that Giannis was often one of the players who was late, but went unchecked because Rivers held everyone to a different standard, and Giannis effectively got star treatment.
Giannis and Bobby Portis, the two longest-tenured players on the team, were traded to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster trade, and Rivers stepped down as the head coach once the offseason began.
The Bucks are now a much younger team with new head coach Taylor Jenkins leading the way.
Moving Forward
For Turner, his desire to move forward is likely appreciated, and the Bucks are hoping to do just that, but he’ll need to prove himself on the court and off.
He’s now a veteran on the team and has playoff experience that is only matched by Kyle Kuzma. Airing out things like players being late and the lack of accountability can backfire, as players wonder if their comments or faults will now be made public by Turner.
As the second highest paid player on the team, Turner will need to step up his leadership efforts for a young squad with little expectations.
On the court, he’ll need to have a bounce-back season and live up to the contract that he was given. His scoring, rebounding, and defense all slipped last season as he struggled to fill the role the Bucks were expecting of him.
His role will change this season. It’s up to him to accept, adapt, and deliver.
