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The Milwaukee Bucks' acquisition of center Myles Turner was one of the stunners in NBA free agency. The former Indiana Pacer signed a four-year deal and will earn more than what was initially reported, which was $107 million.
“Update: Milwaukee Bucks signed Myles Turner to a 4-yr, $108.9M deal, sources told @hoopshype,” HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto reports. “That’s more than initially reported. Turner got a fourth-year player option and 15% trade kicker as ESPN first noted. Turner spent 10 seasons with the Pacers & was a 2-time blocks leader.”
Turner's salary is among the topics of conversation after joining the rival Bucks on the wealthiest contract of his 10-year career.
Indiana has refused to enter the luxury tax in recent seasons, last doing so in 2005. On Monday, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said the team and its owners were ready to pay the tax to retain Turner.
“Herb Simon and Steven Rales and the Simon family were fully prepared to go deep into the (luxury) tax to keep him, and we really wanted to do that,” Pritchard said during Monday's summer league practice.
He also added that the front office was in “good faith negotiations” and “deep conversations” with Turner before they found out about his decision to join the Bucks.
Bucks stole away Myles Turner
Pritchard was just as surprised by how Milwaukee created enough cap space to afford the center. The Bucks waived Damian Lillard, agreeing to stretch the remaining $113 million of his deal throughout the next five seasons.
Between the two salaries, Milwaukee is essentially paying more than $50 million a year for Turner.
The center's ability to spread the floor and protect the rim is what will be most appealing to the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is still contemplating his future with the franchise. Offensively, it would provide the two-time NBA MVP a floor spacer and lob threat, similar to what Brook Lopez provided for the last seven seasons.
Last regular season, Turner shot a career-high 39.6% from 3-point range, also attempting a career-high 5.5 triples per game. In 72 games, he averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and two blocks per contest. Despite never making an NBA All-Defensive Team, Turner has led the league in blocked shots twice.
During Indiana's NBA Finals run, Turner played all 23 games, averaging 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and two blocks.
