Suns Could Pursue Trade for Bucks Center Following Giannis Antetokounmpo Blockbuster Trade

The NBA world was shaken up on Monday night when a reported conclusion to the trade saga surrounding Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo came to a head - which goes as far as potentially impacting the Phoenix Suns in the weeks ahead.

Antetokounmpo's impending move to the Miami Heat means that the Bucks very well could look to unload sizable contracts on the roster, including Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner - who was signed to a four-year, $107 million dollar contract last summer.

Could Turner be an option for the Suns in the fray of chaos erupting within the league? Conventional wisdom and history both say no. 

The Suns had an opportunity to acquire Turner via a sign-and-trade involving former center Deandre Ayton in July of 2022 - with former head coach Monty Williams even reportedly pushing for the trade to be made.

Why would the Suns make a move in June of 2026 for an older, more expensive Turner - even if the franchise is under different leadership? While the Texas product is a serviceable floor spacer, provides timely rim protection, and is fairly consistent all-around, he has marked limitations that include being a relatively weak rebounder for his frame.  

Perhaps the most important development that makes a move rather impractical is the Suns' current center room, as it currently boasts promising prospects in Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, as well as being in pole position to retain Mark Williams. Williams has a high probability of becoming a player that will be easily movable in future seasons, while Ighodaro is more versatile as a playmaker and defender compared to Turner at this stage. 

Maluach - the 10th pick in last year's draft - was a prospect that carried massive weight behind the Suns opting to unload Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. It wouldn't be wise to invest in a high-priced veteran that would both inherently prevent Maluach's playing time from increasing while also weakening Phoenix's efforts as a team rebounding entity. 

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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.