Myles Turner’s departure from the Indiana Pacers to their division rival, the Milwaukee Bucks, was one of the most notable storylines of the offseason. On a recent episode of the Thanalysis Show, hosted by Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks’ new center shed light on his decision to leave Indiana.
“Pascal was in a contract year. T.J. McConnell was in a contract year. Aaron Nesmith was in a contract year. I could go down the list, but you go through that, and we had a great run. Everybody got taken care of. Everybody got paid because we won,” Turner said. “Then, the next year, we surpassed what we did, we went to the Finals. And all everybody told me was, ‘Myles, just keep your head down. Keep your head down and work. You’re going to get taken care of.’”
Turner also highlighted the impact of Tyrese Haliburton’s injury, which forced the front office to reconsider their plans, including his future with the team.
“Then, the unfortunate situation happens in the Finals with Tyrese, and I guess the front office and ownership just changed their mind,” Turner explained to Antetokounmpo. “It was like, “Yeah, we told you all those things. And yeah, you helped us get to the Eastern Conference Finals and the Finals, but we had to pivot.’ That was basically the sentiment. And we were just very far apart on what we thought the future should be.”
Turner inked a four-year, $108.8 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks this past summer. To accommodate his deal, Milwaukee waived-and-stretched Damian Lillard’s salary, clearing the necessary cap space for the 11-year NBA veteran.
Myles Turner Claims Indiana Changed Their Mind About Bringing Him Back
His Tenure with the Pacers
Myles Turner was an integral part of the Indiana Pacers for a decade. Over his 10-year tenure, Turner established himself as one of the NBA’s most reliable big men. He started his career as a traditional center, dominating in the post and excelling as a rim protector. Turner led the league in blocks per game twice, first in the 2018-19 season (2.7) and again in the 2020-21 season (3.4).
As his career progressed, the former Texas Longhorn expanded his game, developing into a more versatile offensive player and becoming a respectable shooter. In his rookie year, Turner posted a three-point shooting percentage of 21.4 percent. By last season, he had dramatically improved, shooting a career-high 39.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Over his 10 seasons with the Pacers, Turner averaged 14.1 points, 2.2 blocks, and 6.8 rebounds per game. While the way his tenure ended may have left some questions unanswered, there’s no denying that Myles Turner provided the Pacers with many productive and impactful seasons, going through both the highs and lows of the franchise’s journey.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
