While the decision to stretch Damian Lillard’s contract raised eyebrows across the league, the Milwaukee Bucks front office had a specific target in mind: Myles Turner.
And according to GM Jon Horst, the pursuit of Turner wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment plan.
“This was one that we were always exploring,” Horst told The Athletic. “And Myles has always been a target.”
Turner, a versatile big man known for his shot-blocking and floor-spacing abilities, agreed to a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Bucks shortly after the team opened up cap space.
The opportunity emerged following an unexpected shift in Indiana’s roster plans.
After All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with a late postseason injury, the Pacers recalibrated their approach – freeing up Turner for serious discussions with Milwaukee.
“He fits exactly what we needed – rim protection, spacing, maturity,” Horst explained. “We think pairing him with Giannis and Khris [Middleton] gives us the kind of defensive backbone and offensive versatility to make a deep run.”
Jon Horst: I've Done Everything Within My Human Possible Power This Offseason https://t.co/OAXFKqfSV8
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 16, 2025
