Of all the many frontcourt boost options the Atlanta Hawks should - and likely will - explore this offseason, there are also many they need to avoid at all costs. While Myles Turner excels at his specific role he's carved out over his career, his candidacy as a potential Hawks target falls into the latter.
Oddly enough, he's been a Hawks fan-favorite for the last several years, as many are simply growing tired of the same interior struggles they've been routinely facing. It's clearly time they look to improve, whether that means bringing in a replacement for Onyeka Okongwu or giving him quality reinforcements, but they shouldn't bring in just anyone that has elite size and shot-making.
The idea of a Turner fit is better than what the reality would be
When evaluating the potential archetype of a dream long-term big for the Hawks, Turner would indeed check many boxes. He's a proven shot-blocker and impressive outside-shooter. He's excelled in those categories for much of his career.
What Turner doesn't do well, though, is rebound the ball. That's not exactly ideal for an Atlanta team that already struggles on the boards in crucial situations. For a 6'11" center, it's almost inexcusable to get pushed around in the paint like he often does.
He struggles on the boards similarly to Kristaps Porzingis. The one thing that made Porzingis' lack of rebounding okay, though, was how he made up for it. He's much bigger than Turner, standing 7'2", and is a better, more willing outside shooter who was on an expiring deal. That's the catch.
Atlanta wouldn't have ever inquired about bringing in Porzingis if he wasn't a low-risk flyer for one season. So, despite the deficiencies in his game, the Hawks were smart to at least give it a shot. Trading for Turner would come with major risk, as he's certainly not on any sort of cheap deal.
There's not much reason for them to hurt their cap for his services
Is he an upgrade over Onyeka Okongwu? There's legitimate reason to not think so. Okongwu chipped in four more points per game last season in a similar role, while maintaining a quality level of three-point shooting and much better rebounding. The only advantage Turner definitely has on Okongwu is rim-protection.
There's a reason why the Indiana Pacers were willing to part with him after their magical run to the 2025 NBA Finals. While he was solid in his role, they felt as if they had a true ceiling with him anchoring the paint, and didn't want to spend a ridiculous amount to keep him satisfied.
Atlanta simply cannot afford to have major question marks in the frontcourt long-term, especially with the ones that already exist. This is an offseason for them to improve around the margins, not worsen their timeline with a huge mistake.
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