Myles Turner Situation

Myles Turner: No-Board Man Gets Paid

Welp — exactly what the Pacers needed. One week, they’re 24 minutes away from a title. The next? They let their longest-tenured player and fan-favorite big man, Myles Turner, walk to their rival Milwaukee Bucks.

Sounds like a disaster, right?

I’m not convinced it’s even a bad thing.

Opinion #1: The Pacers Used Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury as an Excuse to Be Cheap

Let’s be real: it’s no secret the Pacers are a historically cheap franchise. They’ve only gone over the luxury tax once since 2000. The only teams that have spent less in that span? The Hornets and Pelicans — two perennial bottom feeders.

After all those seasons the Pacers were just a few games away from the Finals, they still never spent the money to improve or keep the roster intact. That’s why so many people believed making it to Game 7 of the NBA Finals would finally push ownership to dip into the luxury tax and re-sign Myles Turner.

Nope.

Turner signed a 4-year, $107 million deal with Milwaukee, just $26.5 million a year. That’s it? The Pacers wouldn’t go just $7 million into the tax to keep their longest-tenured player? From the outside looking in, it’s a terrible look. It makes it seem like the Pacers are punting next season away entirely.

But… maybe they did try.

According to Kevin Pritchard (Pacers President), Myles never gave the Pacers a chance to match. If that’s true, it seems like Turner didn’t want to be in Indiana anymore. And maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. Maybe chasing the money elsewhere was always going to be his next move.

Opinion #2: Why Dip Into the Luxury Tax With Haliburton Out All of Next Year… for Myles Turner?

It’s no secret: Turner is one of the most beloved Pacers of all time. He’s been here over a decade and stuck with the franchise through its ups and downs. He’ll always have a special place in my heart.

But let’s be real, $26 million per year for a 30-year-old big man who struggles on the defensive glass and is allergic to rebounds? That’s a move that could set your franchise back.

Without Turner on the books, and with Haliburton expected to return fully healthy in 2027, the Pacers now have flexibility to reshape their roster however they want.

People will say, “But Turner just helped us to the Finals, why not re-sign him?”

Honestly? He was streaky at best in the playoffs. When he wasn’t getting bullied by guards, he was bricking wide-open threes from the top of the key. I’m not saying Turner is trash, but I’m also not saying he’s a great center. He’s a talented big with clear flaws.

So maybe, unknowingly, the Pacers made the right move by not re-signing him. After all, the Bucks crippled themselves to sign him. They might’ve just set their own franchise back years.

The Truth

Even though those are my genuine thoughts, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, and only time will tell whether the Pacers made the right call.

Personally, I’m on the side of not getting too emotional with roster decisions. Dishing out a huge contract to a flawed big man who’s about to be on the wrong side of 30 just doesn’t scream smart business.

And let’s not act like the Pacers are doomed. Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and James Wiseman will do just fine filling the void Turner left, and they’ll do it while making less than half of what Turner is making over the next four years.

Final Thoughts

The Milwaukee Bucks may have just ruined their future by signing Myles Turner.

The Pacers? I think they saved theirs.

Jay Huff is going to surprise a lot of people this year as a stretch five. And Isaiah Jackson? He’s about to break out in a big way.

A wise man once said: “Board man gets paid.”
Myles Turner proved that no-board man gets paid, too.

Let me know your thoughts down below.