The Golden State Warriors may not have enough to ultimately pull off a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but that doesn't mean they can't capitalize on the situation as drama increases over the 2x MVP's future at the Milwaukee Bucks.
Trading Antetokounmpo would mean nothing is off-limits when it comes to Milwaukee's other players, potentially giving the Warriors a chance to strike on Myles Turner as they look to address a growing center concern.
Giannis Antetokounmpo drama may open door to Myles Turner trade
In a major report on Antetokounmpo's future on Thursday, NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line revealed that some teams believe the Bucks could also look to move veteran pieces like Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis.
"Some teams out there think the post-Giannis Bucks would want to initiate a full-scale teardown that includes trading away veterans like the title-winning Bobby Portis, February acquisition Kyle Kuzma and offseason addition Myles Turner. Even then, though, there would be loud questions," Fischer wrote.
While Antetokounmpo might be the key asset the Warriors and others are chasing, Turner could still be a very valuable consolidation prize from the entire scenario. Golden State had hoped the addition of Al Horford would address their center issues this offseason, but that hasn't been the case through the first 23 games as the veteran big man struggles to integrate into his new team.
Turner, likewise, hasn't totally set the world on fire in Milwaukee since his controversial free agency move from the Indiana Pacers. The 29-year-old is averaging 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, shooting 43.5% from the floor and 38.8% from 3-point range.
The Warriors have been linked to Turner previously, and rightly so given his skillset would be a perfect complement to Draymond Green in the front court. Furthermore, Turner's $25.3 million salary this season aligns him near perfectly with Jonathan Kuminga, making for a fairly obvious trade package that Golden State could send if Milwaukee want to dive into a rebuild of sorts.
Turner would give the Warriors more defensive upside than they currently get with Quinten Post, and also more of a shooting threat than what Horford is providing as the 39-year-old sits at under 30% from 3-point range on the season.
Adding Turner would also alleviate Golden State's starting center concerns, something they've needed to address for a few years and which Horford would only fix in the immediate short-term if he eventually finds form.