The Milwaukee Bucks are in a state of uncertainty as the 2026 offseason proceeds. With no clear direction or plan for the future, fans have been left to guess for themselves what might come next for this organization.
But as Giannis Antetokounmpo gets dragged into another round of trade rumors, more details are starting to emerge on what things were like in what was likely his final season with the Bucks. According to veteran center Myles Turner, it was a strange situation in the locker room, as players were given free rein to miss meetings and show up late to scheduled flights.
“Doc Rivers, he didn’t fine anybody,” said Turner on the ‘Game Recognize Game’ podcast. “Guys were late, guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up. Guys were missing meetings. Like, it was one of the craziest things that I’ve personally experienced. If the plane took off at 2:00, we weren’t leaving until 4:30. I’m being so serious, it was crazy. Guys were an hour late to the plane. It got to the point where I knew not to show up until like an hour after after they said the plane was taking off. It was crazy.”
As someone who usually holds himself to the highest standard, you might expect Giannis to be one of the ones who were always punctual to team events. Instead, according to Turner, he was one of the worst offenders, and yet the Bucks never punished him.
“Giannis is gonna show up whenever he wants,” Turner added. “I think that it just kind of came with the territory. Once I saw what was going down, I was like ‘More power to you, they ain’t gonna fine you, do what you do.’ Except when we’re going to Dallas, that’s when I was like ‘Alright, come on.’”
Turner played 10 years for the Indiana Pacers before he joined the Bucks last summer. After signing a four-year, $107 million contract, he expected to compete for a championship alongside one of the most accomplished superstars in the league. By the end, however, Turner’s first season was tagged as a disappointment by the Bucks, who finished 11th in the East at 32-50. For Myles, it was a low point of his career, with averages of 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game on 44.0% shooting and 38.3% shooting from three.
Under head coach Doc Rivers, who has since been sacked, the Bucks had title aspirations, but it seems they never took themselves seriously enough to compete. As Giannis knows, winning a championship requires more than raw talent; it requires teamwork and discipline to achieve consistency and maximize the game plan. So the fact that he was always late reflects a star that’s checked out, or at least one that has lost its way.
All Myles Turner could do was watch it all unfold from within. As someone who has seen what a well-run team looks like, it’s pretty clear that he knew the Bucks were in the wrong. Regardless of their previous state, however, the Bucks are hoping for better days. After replacing Rivers with head coach Taylor Jenkins (known for accountability), a tone has been set that will define the next era of Bucks basketball. Whether Giannis is there or not, Jenkins will surely bring some more order and stability to the team as they look to set things back on track.
