Column: If the Bucks are rebuilding, Myles Turner deserves one more move — and Atlanta is the perfect destination
Myles Turner wasn’t supposed to be part of a rebuild.
When Milwaukee signed the longtime Indiana Pacers center last summer, the vision was clear: pair one of the NBA’s premier rim protectors with Giannis Antetokounmpo and make one last championship push. Instead, that window slammed shut. Giannis is gone, the Bucks are entering a new era, and Turner suddenly finds himself on a team with very different priorities.
That’s why it may be time for both sides to move on.
At 30 years old, Turner remains one of the league’s most unique centers. He’s a two-time NBA blocks leader who can anchor a defense while also stretching the floor offensively. Last season, he averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and shot nearly 38% from 3-point range, a combination few seven-footers can match. His ability to protect the rim without clogging the paint has made him one of the NBA’s most coveted modern big men.
If Milwaukee is truly committed to building around youth and draft capital, Turner becomes one of its most valuable trade assets.
The Atlanta Hawks should be paying close attention.
Atlanta’s offseason has been aggressive. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh has reshaped the roster with an emphasis on defense, versatility and long-term flexibility. The Hawks also selected a center from North Carolina in the second round of last week’s NBA Draft, adding another developmental piece to the frontcourt.
Henri Veesaar out of University of North Carolina.
Atlanta traded up from No. 57 to No. 52 in the second round to draft the 7-footer after he unexpectedly slid out of the first round.
Veesaar’s college numbers at UNC:
- 17.0 points per game
- 8.7 rebounds per game
- 60.8% field-goal shooting
- 15 double-doubles
- Second-team All-ACC
- Finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given annually to the nation’s top center.
But asking a second-round rookie to immediately solve Atlanta’s biggest weakness would be unrealistic.
The Hawks need a proven veteran at the five.
Turner checks virtually every box.
His shot blocking would immediately elevate a defense that already features elite perimeter defenders in Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Offensively, his perimeter shooting would create even more room for Trae Young and Atlanta’s collection of attacking wings while allowing the Hawks to play five-out basketball without sacrificing rim protection.
Perhaps most importantly, Turner fits the timeline.
Atlanta isn’t rebuilding anymore. It’s trying to win. The Hawks have assembled a young, talented roster, but the final step toward becoming a legitimate Eastern Conference contender is finding stability in the middle. Turner provides that from Day 1.
Trade speculation has already connected Atlanta to Turner in various scenarios, and it’s easy to understand why. The fit makes basketball sense for both organizations. Milwaukee could continue accumulating future assets as it pivots toward a younger core, while Atlanta fills its biggest remaining hole with one of the NBA’s most dependable two-way centers.
Sometimes the best trades aren’t about creating a new “Big Three.”
They’re about completing the puzzle.
For the Hawks, Myles Turner might be the final piece.
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