Although the NBA is often full of surprises, we haven’t seen anything that qualifies as truly shocking in terms of player movement in some time. That is until the Milwaukee Bucks came to an agreement with big man Myles Turner, stealing him away from not only a Central Division rival, but the Eastern Conference Champion Indiana Pacers.
You’d probably have to go back to February and look at the three-team trade between the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Utah Jazz that sent superstar guard Luka Dončić to Los Angeles and future Hall-of-Fame big man Anthony Davis to Dallas to find something relatable.
Myles Turner Agreement With the Milwuakee Bucks Shocks the League
It was widely thought that the Pacers would retain Turner, especially after making their run through the Eastern Conference before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the NBA Finals.
The Pacers took down the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round and the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. They, of course, also defeated the Bucks, Turner’s new squad, in the first round.
Perhaps the most surprising part of this move was how the Bucks made room for Turner by waiving superstar point guard Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles in the postseason.
Still relatively young at 29, Turner averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game last season. He shot 48.1% from the field, 39.6% from beyond the arc, and 77.3% from the free throw line in 72 games for the Pacers last season.
What Is Myles Turner Earning with the Milwaukee Bucks?
The initial report is that Turner and the Bucks agreed to a four-year, $107 million contract. Per Shams Charania of ESPN.com, Turner’s deal includes a player option in the fourth year (the 2028-29 season) and a full 15% trade kicker.
BREAKING: Free agent center Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option for year four in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. Stunner. pic.twitter.com/MlDkZusVOv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Turner signed a two-year, $40,903,500 deal before the 2023-2024 season, making $20,975,000 that season and $19,928,500 last season. Turner was the 11th overall pick out of Texas in the 2015 NBA Draft, and his initial rookie deal was a four-year contract worth $10,801,804. After that deal, he agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal to remain in Indiana.
There have been rumors that the Pacers low-balled Turner during negotiations, which may have pushed him to explore other options. While that hasn’t been confirmed, it’s worth noting Indiana may be preparing for a reset after losing star guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. With Haliburton likely out all next season, the Pacers, similar to how the Celtics are approaching things after Jayson Tatum’s injury, may be hesitant to invest heavily in a potentially lost year.
That’s now Milwaukee’s gain.
Turner was ranked as Pro Football and Sports Network’s No. 1 remaining free agent, and with this move, the Bucks land an elite shot-blocker and stretch big who could thrive next to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
