The Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner is rumoured to be on the Trade Block with a couple of teams really interested in him. The Pacers made the Play-in tournament this season but lost to Washington Wizards and missed out on the Playoffs. They now are looking to get lucky in the lottery and get a high draft pick to fit into this somewhat young but really talented team.
Report: The Pacers are expected to listen to trade offers for Myles Turner this offseason.
The Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, Hornets are “expected” to show interest
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However, the backcourt of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis has not worked out for this team that well. In theory, they should work perfectly as Sabonis is the scorer and rebounder and Turner plays elite defence and can spread the floor. Unfortunately, it hasn’t and now Indiana might have to pick their big man for the future and it’s extremely likely they pick the 20/12/7 of All-star Sabonis.
Also Read: NBA 2021-22 Draft Lottery Predictions – What to Expect
Myles Turner’s skillset
Miles Turner would be the perfect starting big man for all 30 teams in the league. He can play the 4 and the 5 making him really versatile. Turner leads the league this year in blocks per game with 3.4 whilst also shooting 34% from the 3 on 5 attempts a game. He can also give you 12-13 points a night whilst doing all the dirty work.
The NBA is a guard centric league right now but lacking a major defensive presence really hurts a team when they face off players like AD or the Joker. They need someone to be a defensive anchor to hold down the paint and not let any easy points and that’s exactly Myles Turner’s cup of tea. If he did not play with Sabonis he would’ve been a top 3 contender for DPOY.
Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota among teams interested in Turner
There are rumours flying around of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets. The Minnesota Timberwolves had just 23 wins last season and were 13th in the Western Conference. They have the roots for a team that could be a true contender in the future but lack the defence.
That’s exactly why Myles Turner is such an attractive player for them. The timberwolves do not own their pick this year so it won’t be possible to draft a big from there. They would possibly turn their attention to Turner as an already established option.
The Charlotte Hornets had 7 players average over 10 points a game last season and none of them were centres. That’s the one hole they have in their team. They were top 10 in the league in 3 pointers made and attempted. Adding another perimeter threat like Turner will leave the paint wide open. Also, him being the shot blocker and anchor of the defence the Hornets can turn their focus on the offence. Jordan‘s Charlotte Hornets are moving in the right direction by getting a Big like Turner.
How will that impact the Pacers?
The Pacers acquired an all-star calibre player in Caris LeVert. Sabonis, LeVert and Brogdan would provide more than enough scoring for the Pacers to make a playoff run. However, by trading Turner they can establish Sabonis as the Star big and get veteran pieces and future assets to fit around the Pacers. Indiana could easily be top 4 seed next year with all these changes and might even sniff a conference finals appearance.
Also Read: From a 2nd Round Pick to NBA MVP: How Nikola Jokic Defied All Odds