After what’s felt like years of trade rumors surrounding center Myles Turner, Pacers GM Chad Buchanan joined Indiana’s 107.5 The Fan and said the team is not actively seeking trade packages for the former 11th overall pick.
At 26-years-old, Turner is entering the last year of his four-year, $72 million contract and is extension eligible until June 2023. One of the game’s premier defenders, he is a two-time NBA block champion with a career average of 2.3 blocks per game.
But as of late, Turner’s struggled with injuries and has failed to play in more than 47 games in the last two seasons. He would have led the league in blocks in 2021-22 if he had met the 58-game minimum, but a left foot injury limited him to just 42 games.
The Pacers cleaned house at last season’s trade deadline when they sent a package including All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson (who later agreed to a buyout with the Pacers and joined the Chicago Bulls). During the draft, the Pacers selected Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin in the hopes of providing a scoring punch.
With Turner surrounded by what could be a strong group of playmakers and scorers, the Pacers have decided to keep the big man in Indiana, at least for the time being.
