Central Notes: Bucks, Bulls, Turner

While there’s reportedly increased skepticism that the Bucks and star Giannis Antetokounmpo will part ways this summer, there are plenty of questions facing the team regardless of whether he stays or leaves. Spotrac’s Keith Smith breaks down the many hurdles Milwaukee has to face in his offseason preview, writing that the team is in the unfortunate position of needing to prepare for two potential paths: one where the two-time MVP stays and one where he goes.

The Bucks have few assets to trade should Antetokounmpo decide to remain in Milwaukee, and it would be imperative to maximize the pieces still on the roster, given that any team with Giannis would surely still be attempting to compete for championships. Longtime Antetokounmpo running mate Brook Lopez is an unrestricted free agent and could probably be retained for somewhere around $15-18MM per season over two years, Smith speculates. Bobby Portis has a $13.4MM player option, and it’s unclear if he would command more than that on the market.

Retaining their minimum signings in Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Kevin Porter Jr. will be important, as they can all contribute as floor spacers, which is crucial when building a roster around Antetokounmpo. It’s unlikely that Pat Connaughton and Kyle Kuzma will receive contract extensions, and it’s possible the team looks to move them for more consistent contributors, Smith writes.

If Antetokounmpo does ask out, though, Smith expects all of the Bucks’ free agents to be on new teams come next season, though it’s highly likely Connaughton picks up his player option no matter what else happens.

We have more news from the Central Division:

• If the Bucks want to get more out of their marginal moves, they need to have better top-down organizational alignment, writes The Athletic’s Eric Nehm in his Bucks mailbag. Nehm identifies A.J. Green as one of the team’s few developmental successes, and points to head coach Doc Rivers‘ deliberate creation of a role for the shooting specialist as a key to that success. The Bucks need their head coach to take a similar approach to other players, notably Andre Jackson Jr., if they want to recreate that formula.
• The Bulls‘ outlook has improved since the end of the season based solely on the Eastern Conference weakening this summer, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. With the top two picks in the 2025 draft expected to end up on Western Conference teams, the Celtics looking at a restructuring season following Jayson Tatum‘s ruptured Achilles, and questions surrounding what the Cavaliers and Knicks will do following postseason defeats, Chicago could stand pat and still be back in postseason contention. However, the Bulls have decisions to make on trading or extending players like Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White, who are all heading into the final year of their deals.
• The Pacers and starting center Myles Turner have mutual interest in coming to terms on a new deal, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter video link). Indiana hasn’t been a taxpayer since 2006, but after making deep playoff runs in back-to-back years, the club is willing to pay what it takes to keep its roster intact, says Charania. Jake Fischer of the Stein Line, who has previously reported that the Pacers are expected to re-sign Turner, confirms the ongoing mutual interest between the two sides.