The center position has been a long-running problem for the Golden State Warriors, having cycled through the likes of Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Quinten Post and now Al Horford in recent years, along with regularly playing Draymond Green as a small-ball five.
A Giannis Antetokounmpo trade in the next week may not only give the Warriors one of the best players in the world, but they could also alleviate their center concerns by acquiring another long-rumored target in Myles Turner.
Warriors could try to acquire Myles Turner in Giannis trade
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Bucks made the incredibly risky decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard's contract in the wake of his torn achilles injury, making the room to sign Turner to a four-year, $108.9 million contract in free agency.
It's fair to say that gamble hasn't paid off. Amid their deplorable 18-28 record that's led to Antetokounmpo's trade request, Turner has been rather underwhelming in averaging 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds on 43.6% shooting from the floor.
However, the 29-year-old is still a more than capable starting center and would immediately solve an issue Golden State have had for years. Turner provided a reminder of his two-way ability despite another horror loss to the lowly Washinton Wizards on Thursday, dropping 21 points, 14 rebounds and an incredible six blocks with Antetokounmpo sidelined by a calf strain.
Trading Antetokounmpo would signal a rebuild for the Bucks, making Turner and other veterans like Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma surely available in trade talks. While it's more likely that one or both of the latter two make their way to the Bay Area, perhaps the Warriors can give up enough value where they acquire both Antetokounmpo and Turner.
That duo makes $80 million combined this season, but Golden State can still match that with their own combination of Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, along with all the future draft capital that would obviously need to be included.
Recent reports suggest the [Warriors might be more open to trading Draymond Green](https://bluemanhoop.com/warriors-make-stance-draymond-green-crystal-clear-amid-giannis-trade-rumors) rather than Butler, but perhaps that view changes if they can get another starter-quality player in the trade. Golden State could suddenly be blessed with a host of front court option that includes Antetokounmpo, Turner, Green and Al Horford.
That might seem like absolute overkill, but it would also be a nice change to what's been years of the Warriors playing far smaller than essentially every opponent around the league. They're going to be hard-pressed to make an Antetokounmpo trade let alone add Turner as well, but that shouldn't stop Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office from bringing the veteran center up in conversations.