Trading Rating: Turner s joining the Bucks is B-

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly struck a four-year, $107 million deal with center Miles Turner

For a variety of reasons, this is perhaps the most truly shocking development in NBA free agents since Paul George was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019, convincing Kawhi Leonard to sign with the Clippers at the same time a few weeks after winning the NBA Finals MVP.

Turner appears to be the lockdown to re-sign with the Indiana Pacers, starting Game 7 of the NBA Finals for them nine days ago. Meanwhile, the Bucks’ ambitions for free agents seem much milder, as the opening day of free agents suggests they will stay above the cap and use a non-taxpayer intermediate exception to replace leaving starter Brooke Lopez.

The Bucks have a much bigger idea as two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo = following him in the offseason to assess his future in Milwaukee. The bigger part is the biggest waiver and extension in NBA history involving Damian Lillard, who will extend his entire $112.6 million contract extension from today to five seasons, sitting on Milwaukee’s cap list for $22.5 million to the 2029-30 season.

This move alone is not enough to create the necessary upper limit space for the Bucks to sign the deal with Turner. Milwaukee then agreed to send Pat Connaughton to the Charlotte Hornets trade to trade the draft pick for Vasilier Misic. If Milwaukee can agree to a buyout with Misic, last season there were reports that Misic was interested in returning to Europe, which should make up for the difference.

In many ways, Turner is like a young version of Lopez, and his signing helped usher in the era of fighting for the Bucks. Having a center that can both protect the rim and relieve Antetokounmpo's responsibility and stretch the floor for him on the offensive end is an ideal situation for Milwaukee. Aside from Lopez, 37, the only center in free agent who plays both roles is Al Horford — two years older than Lopez.

This makes the 29-year-old Turner the Bucks’ only real option to partner with Antetokounmpo for the peak of the surplus. Turner is finishing his best three-point season of his career, averaging 2.2 points per game and shooting 40%, and his 36% career shooting percentage is a little better than Lopez's shooting percentage throughout his seven seasons with the Bucks.