Myles Turner will be one of the NBA’s marquee free agents this summer, but it sounds like he probably won’t be going anywhere. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), there’s a “rising expectation” around the NBA that the veteran center will re-sign with the Pacers.
Turner is finishing his 10th season in Indiana after being selected with the 11th pick of the 2015 draft. The 6’11” big man has helped the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals each of the past two seasons, and those back-to-back deep playoff runs have contributed to the league-wide perception that Indiana will do what it takes to retain him this summer, Fischer writes.
While Turner has been the subject of trade rumors several times during the past decade, Indiana never pulled the trigger on a deal.
With the 29-year-old on an expiring contract this season and not eligible for an extension prior to free agency, there was more speculation leading up to February’s trade deadline that he might be gettable, but the Pacers never appeared to seriously entertain the idea of moving him this year, which suggested they felt good about their odds of negotiating a new deal this offseason.
Turner’s current contract, which he signed in January 2023, was a two-year extension worth $41MM. He has made a strong case over the last two seasons for a raise on that $20.5MM annual salary, having continued to serve as the Pacers’ defensive anchor while providing strong offensive production. In 149 regular season outings since the start of 2023/24, he has averaged 16.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on .503/.379/.773 shooting.
Rudy Gobert (three years, $109.5MM) and Jarrett Allen (three years, $90.7MM) are among the veteran centers who have signed contract extensions during the 2024/25 season that might come up as comparables for Turner during his upcoming negotiations. Those deals will cover Gobert’s age 33-to-35 seasons and Allen’s age 28-to-30 seasons. Turner will turn 30 next March.
Investing heavily in Turner could create some cap issues for the Pacers, who have historically remained out of luxury tax territory — they haven’t been a taxpayer since 2006 and have paid just under $9MM in total tax penalties since the system was introduced nearly 25 years ago.
Indiana already has $165MM in guaranteed money on its books next season for 10 players, with the luxury tax line projected to come in at $187.9MM. If the Pacers have to pay $30MM+ per year to re-sign Turner and want to stay out of tax territory, they’d have to shed salary elsewhere on the roster. According to Fischer, rival teams are anticipating “roster-consolidation trade conversations” in Indiana.
Luke Adams contributed to this story.
Come to San Antonio
Awesome
Indy loves him
Spent his entire career here
Huge contributer during the last 2 playoff runs
Pacers will have the core of ty-nesmith-nemhard-siakam-myles for atleast 2-3 more yrs, lets win that chip finally!!
We need more 1-team players, he should stay
Wondering how many 1-team players with 10+ years of service there are in the league. I can get it started, and maybe someone else can continue/finish it………
Trying to list without reference help
1. Chef Curry
2. Giannis (take him off this list soon?)
3. Myles Turner
4. Joel Embiid?
5. Kevon Looney! (take HIM off this list soon?)
6. Devon Booker has gotta be REAL close, if not there
7. The Joker
8. Jamal Murray (perhaps on the verge too)
*Devin. Sorry, DB.
Looney will play at least 2 more years with the Warriors at veteran min. I hope.
Turner is, and has always been, a lock to re-sign.
Haliburton, Nembhard, Siakam & Nesmith are not going anywhere.
Parting with Toppin would be painful for the Pacers, he’s been an underrated fulcrum of the offense and even backup 5 at times…but he does offer the most cap relief. Mathurin remains a bad fit with the team stylistically, tough to imagine a hefty extension for him, but he does add much-needed scoring punch when things aren’t working, which is not easy to come by and is a button that Carlisle needs to be able to press in order to play the way they do…Pacers might view him as worth keeping for one more year, for one more run with this group. McConnell has lost a step and is sure to lose another over the next 3 years of his contract, has been getting cooked at the point of attack…but not sure Pacers can find a backup PG capable of playing at their pace and applying the same offensive pressure during bench minutes.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pacers re-sign Turner, sign a back-up center, draft a back-up PG to replace the eventually-traded McConnell, otherwise keep the team exactly the same for one more run, and pay the tax on all of it for 1 season, letting Mathurin walk next year to avoid repeat tax.
I could see Myles on a 3/yr deal making $30/yr.
Personally would love to see the team package Shephard and Jarace Walker in a consolidation deal. Does impact the bench but neither are really a key contributor. Would rather keep Obi than Walker.
Then – either resign Thomas Bryant at close to the vet minimum as possible OR draft a big in the draft. If resign Bryant look for a defensive minded wing (older college player ready to contribute limited minutes in the rotation).
Gives you:
PG – Hali, TJ
SG – Nembhard (can run point too), Mathrin
SF – Nesmith, Draft Pick
PF – Pascal, Obi
C – Turner, Bryant
Then still have Furphy as developmental and resign James Johnson just to scare people. Bring RayJ back on a two-way (and maybe Freeman too).
By the way – all this should have them somewhere in the ballpark of $189M in payroll for next year.
Miles will walk. I’ve offered to play on a 2 yr mill contract. I’m 60 but I’m 6’1 and played C on my Jr High team. I’m getting into shape for smoking a pack a day. I’ll use my coughing up Flem to my advantage in the lane.
He’ll be a Laker next year. 4/120