After a who-knows-how-long saga, it looks like Giannis Antetokounmpo's days with the Milwaukee Bucks might actually be numbered. And Indiana Pacers fans can only laugh at Myles Turner, who joined Milwaukee in the offseason to compete for a championship.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo is "ready for a new home" and could be on the move before the Feb. 5 NBA Trade Deadline. It doesn't seem like this is a direct trade request, but it's pretty much as close to being one without actually being one.
Whether the two-time MVP will actually be on the move within the next week or not remains to be seen. But either way, it seems likely that he is not long for Milwaukee, which should be music to Pacers fans' ears.
Myles Turner's offseason decision just took an ironic turn
The Pacers were just one win away from their first-ever NBA title last year (and might have actually won the whole thing if Tyrese Haliburton didn't tear his Achilles early in Game 7), yet Turner thought he would be in a better spot to make it back with the Bucks. (This is also incredibly ironic on its own, given that the Pacers sent the Bucks packing in each of the last two postseasons).
To be fair to Turner, having an opportunity to team up with Antetokounmpo, a future Hall of Famer and a perennial MVP candidate, is often too good to pass up. But it was always clear that his best chance to enjoy team and individual (especially individual) success was in Indiana.
The Texas native was built for the Pacers' system as someone who can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the length of the court (not to mention how much he benefited from having someone like Haliburton to feed him the ball). Additionally, while this season was always going to be a wash, the Pacers still have an incredibly bright future with a fantastic roster, coaching staff, and front office.
It also wasn't just as simple as Turner deciding to join the Pacers' division rivals that made fans turn on him: it was everything else that came after. He burned his bridges in Indiana by dissing the team often, and fans rewarded that behavior by booing him in his first game against his former squad.
Nobody wants to admit it, but the Pacers and Turner may miss each other more than anyone anticipated. The Pacers are still on the hunt for the 29-year-old's replacement while he just joined a sinking ship in Milwaukee.
Only time will tell who really got the better end of this divorce, but as of right now, things are only beginning to age poorly for the former Pacers fan favorite.