Tim Legler Touchscreen: What the Bucks are getting out of Myles Turner | NBA Today

Tim Legler Touchscreen: What the Bucks are getting out of Myles Turner | NBA Today

But speaking of the champs, let’s welcome back in Shams. Shams SGA coming off one of the most accomplished seasons in NBA history. But how did the Thunder reward him for that today? Some big news.
Malikica Sha Gilises Alexander the reigning NBA MVP finals MVP and the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached agreement on a 4-year $285 million super maximum contract extension. That makes him the highest annual paid player in NBA history. He got every penny of that supermax contract. And this is the second long-term contract extension that he has signed in Oklahoma City. Remember back in 2021, Sam Prey and Chigils Alexander negotiated, collaborated. They had to really reach an agreement on that max extension. This one was different. This was SGA’s extension and he got every bells and whistle possible in this agreement. I am told his deal includes an opt out in 203031 season. But this agreement truly cementss the partnership that both sides have had since joining forces in 2019. Shams, thank you. Some big news earlier today as well. You broke the news earlier that the Milwaukee Bucks waved Damen Lillard used the space to sign Miles Turner away from the Pacers. Now Lillard is recovering from tearing his Achilles in the first round. And this is the lasting image that sits with me at least. It’s him sitting on the court in the aftermath of the injury. And I understand that this is a business, but this is just a brutal side of it to me as you look at this this final image of him in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform. What does this mean for a member of the NBA top 75 list moving forward?
This means business-wise and financially he’s going to be paid in full. $113 million. He’s going to be able to rehab that torn Achilles in Portland, surrounded by his family. Of course, there’s going to be that sudden shock of being waved, stretched, and released. But for the first time in his NBA career, he’s going to be able to go and find a home and enter free agency. I am told that he welcomed the release once informed on Tuesday and that he’s going to welcome a change of scenery away from Milwaukee. So that is the Damen Lillard side of all of this Shams. But then on the other side, it’s Milwaukee. What does this mean for the Bucks moving forward? You talked about the creativity that was required by John Horst here to be able to do something to try to upgrade this roster. for for John Horse, the fact that you can now pull this lever of Damen Lillard stretching wave. This is not something anyone had on their bingo card going into free agency, but he Turner’s agent Austin Brown, they had to figure out exactly how to find a maneuver because they didn’t have this any salary space, didn’t have the exceptions available for Miles Turner. And so once they go and and and reach an agreement on a deal, then it became about Damen Lillard’s uh deal as well. But again, all that stems from the fact that Miles Turner believed he was getting below market value offers from the Pacers going into his free agency process. He wanted to stay in Indie, but once the door was open for him, that’s when the Milwaukee Bucks pounced.
All right, so that’s how it looked in the boardroom as all of these deals were trying to be figured out. But how is it going to look on the hardwood? Well, for more on that, let’s go to Leg and UD. Gentlemen, what you got?
All right, look. UD, let’s talk about a big man that can score, shoot the ball, and protect the paint. Something you did very well in your career as well. So, we’ll start off. This is what you’re getting with Miles Turner. I could talk about shooting all day long. I’m not even going to put it in this tape in terms of his three-point shooting. He is more than that, and that’s what we want to talk about. It starts right here. Something UD noticed. He’s a very good screener. What do you like about this right here, UD?
I love the fact that he sets the screen underneath. Often times as big and young bigs at home, take note of this. Often times as bigs, we like to get on the side of the defender. Right here, Miles Turner gets underneath the defender, which ensures that your guard is going to get downhill and you’re going to most likely force a switch. Makes it a very difficult read for the defense. Now, as we continue this, the second part of it, you know, he wants to get to that pick and pop, but look what the Knicks do right here. They’re going to take that away by playing on the top side. So what Miles Turner is looking at right now is his teammate Tyrus Hallebertton getting downhill and he’s looking at the defender at this point. Carl Anthony Towns is completely sold out to protect the penetration. So UD at this point what is available to Miles Turner? If I’m Miles Turner right here, I have two options. I’m looking at the fact that my guard is most likely going to get downhill against this big. So I have a offensive rebound opportunity and I have an opportunity with the guard that’s on my back to roll to the basket and get an easy layup.
That’s exactly what he does. He seals, catches the ball. He’s that rare combination of big that can shoot it but also finish with power. And then defensively, we always talk about his impact. The first thing he does right here hangs out. Hangs out to protect against this penetration even though he knows his man that he’s guarding right here, Chad Hongren, is starting to drift out to the three-point line. So UD, let’s talk about what he is looking at right now defensively. You got the stop here. Walk us through this close out.
I mean, first things first here, he has to stop the ball. The ball is the priority. Second thing is you understand that you have a shooting big on the perimeter. So you have to close out but close out with technique. No middle stance. You do not want to give up middle. And secondly, you don’t want to go for a shot back. You have to be the second guy off the floor when he shoots this ball,
which is exactly what he does. Incredibly difficult to time up blocking a three-point shot. Miles Turner does it right here. But he’s not quite done. Chad Hungren runs this down and Chad Hunger looks up at that clock and he knows we’re deep clock. Miles Turner sees that as well. Which means there’s only one thing left for Chad Hunger to do. put this thing on the ground and watch Miles Turner. UD walk us through the rest of this play and the great defense that he plays in the paint.
If you’re big, all bets are up right now. You have to guard your yard. There is no help. He is getting downhill. You have to keep your chest in front. Stay between him and the basket and make him take a tough shot. If he makes it, he makes it, but he has to take a tough shot in that situation. This is what the Bucks are getting. Hopefully, Giannis likes that.
But let’s take a little bit of a look behind the scenes here with Ramona Shelurn and Mark Spears back with us once again. Ramona, I want to start with you here. While we’re talking about Miles Turner, Legs is right. Ultimately, what matters the most is how the Milwaukee Bucks can continue to build around their franchise star. So, how is this move reverberating?
Well, you know, I they they did inform Giannis Takubo they were doing this, right? This was this was a conversation with John Horse. Jiannis is on vacation with his family, obviously. Now, did they tell him they were waving Damen Lillard in order to facilitate this? I don’t know the answer to that, but they did. He did know about Miles Turner and I think he was excited about Miles Turner because he’s played against him. He knows how good he is. He does, as they just explained, he does so many things well that they need on this team. I think that Sean said something very interesting earlier in the show and I I keep hanging on what he said cuz I listen to every word that man says. He said if by the end of the off season Giannis looks at what they’re doing and likes where they are, he’s going to look himself in the mirror. right at the end of the offseason. That’s the closest I’ve heard for anyone to put a date on when Giannis is going to have that conversation, when he’s going to make what whether it’s a decision or have a conversation about his own future in Milwaukee. And that jives with what I’ve heard before, you know, usually moves of that of that stature, they don’t take place or until later in the offseason. People need to see how things settle, right? And so I think when he said end of the offseason, that was something new to me. And let’s see, as Brian said earlier, is that needle moving? Is that enough? Is this enough? But he did know about Miles Turner and I think there was an alignment with the franchise in Yiannis.
Some excitement maybe that they were making a move there for another big a big that can shoot a big that can stretch the floor because that’s been a patent of the Milwaukee Bucks offense. They’ve really really enjoyed a big that can do a little bit of both. Both be a threat at the rim but also be able to stretch the floor for Giannis. So you’re saying Ramona can’t answer whether or not Giannis knew exactly how this move was made but liked the move. Did Dame know that this was coming? [Music] It was a card that Aaron Goodwood knew about. He just didn’t think the Bucks were going to play this card.
Um, the Bucks have some amazing super nerds in their computer room and somehow they conjured up this potion
and they brought it up to the GM and the GM’s like, “Sounds crazy, but it sounds interesting. We could really do this.” And I think what they did, they brought it up to ownership, I’m told. and ownership signed off on it. And I I give the super nerds in that room credit for coming up with this concoction to figure out a way to maximize a major issue. What do you do with an injured player like that? They stretched them. They figured it out. They got miles. And for the people that were initially going at the Bucks, like why would you do that to Dame?
You Dame’s going to be sending them a Christmas card.
Yes.
A ham.
Thanking them,
right? cuz he gets to be home. He gets to be a free agent two years early. He still get his money.
You see John Horse and Doc Rivers, he giving them a hug. They did him a major favor.
And it all started with the super nerds coming up with this idea.
We love the Super Nerds.
And let’s talk about the Pacers side of this because we all just got done watching one of the most incredible postseason runs in in anything I’ve covered. I haven’t seen a come team come from the fourth place position or any spot like that in a long time. And this is a blow for the Pacers, but I, you know, in talking with them, they’re they’re proud of themselves for the discipline they showed here. You know, they were talking more about three-year offers. I think they were 30 $40 million less than what this ended up being. So, that’s a lot of money. And at the end of this, at the end of now, they did ask if there could be a signing trade. Could they could they talk to Milwaukee about a sign? But they didn’t need one obviously with this Damen Lillard thing. Could they get a player back? But this is about discipline for them and this is about extending this championship window around Tyrese Haliburn. It’s going to be hard to do. Brian outlined how who they have on the roster, but they they really feel like they had there was a sort of red line and and I know the tax and I and I they’ve never paid it since 2005. 2005. And there’s a real vacancy in the Eastern Conference. Ramona, you’ve covered this league, both of you have for many, many decades at this point. the moves, if you I can’t ask you to get inside the mind of Giannis, but the moves that Milwaukee has made thus far, are they better materially better today than they were healthy last season?
Are they better with Turner than they were with healthy last season? Healthy Dame, healthy Brooke, not without not without D.
And that’s I think we’re going to be the
Well, I I think we got to wait and see.
Yeah,
I feel like there’s still working.
Can’t miss somebody’s not playing. I know, but she said healthy. Are they better than I think that’s one of the um they can end up regretting it if he’s back sooner than expected. That’s the thing I’m keeping an eye on. And you mentioned earlier that it could be even as soon as this season, which was surprising surprising to me.
I know we’ve heard that with Jason Tatum and all that. And everybody’s they’re going to get there and everybody’s going to say stop. Fame is you work out. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

On NBA Today, Tim Legler and Udonis Haslem give an in-depth film breakdown to show what the Milwaukee Bucks are getting out of their newest member Myles Turner. Then, Ramona Shelburne and Marc J. Spears discuss how waiving Damian Lillard may impact Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the team.

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