When is Myles Turner not on the trading block? Turner and trade rumors go together like Converse and high socks. Been around forever, a classic. Made for each other.
In 2023, it’s more of the same. He’s been a part of a turn-ed around Pacers team that’s four games above .500 so far. He and Tyrese Haliburton have the chemistry and stats teams build around. Nevertheless, the recent news of his rebuffing could mean he wants out of Indiana. Whether that’s through a trade or in free agency this summer.
Myles Turner Trade Speculation 2023 Edition
What Myles Turner Brings to the Court
- Rim Protection
- Spacing
- Pick-and-Roll
The multiple time blocks leader is still just 26 and quicker than ever. Primarily a drop big, his value on defense is well known. Shooting 38.0% from three this season, he’s a 35.2% career shooter standing 6’10. His skill set is transferable.
Haliburton and Turner have had yet to play a full year together, but they show “been there, done that” chemistry. Turner scores 1.21 points per possession as the roll man, which is 12th among players involved in at least two pick-and-roll possessions. Continuing on the spacing mentioned above, he can pop out for a three as well.
Where Myles Turner Fits
Turner is the perfect big man to pair with a pick-and-roll ball handler. Given the prominence of that offensive set, he’d be welcome almost anywhere. There are some landing spots commanding the lots.
Dallas Mavericks
The discourse around the league is that Dallas is dawning on desperation. Despite being 22-17 as the five-seed, they’re a meager three games ahead of the ten-seeded Jazz. With the (surprising) run to the Western Conference Finals over the summer, expectations were high. They already acquired Christian Wood over the summer, but journeyman Javale McGee is not the answer at their starting center spot. Luka Doncic needs help, and another savvy roll man does just that.
One first-round pick (2024), Tim Hardaway Jr, and one of Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, and Theo Pinson, is a potential package.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have a trade candidate of their own, Nic Claxton, they’re expected to discuss with teams about. Claxton has been a difference-making defender, but he and Ben Simmons stress the Nets’ offense due to their poor spacing. Naturally, Turner would fit right in.
Two first-rounders (2023, 2027) and Joe Harris for Turner works. After January 15th, Claxton and Seth Curry‘s salaries would work to fetch Turner. It’s likely the Nets would have to attach at least one of those first-rounders in a Claxton-Curry package.
Los Angeles Lakers
When trades happen in the NBA, they tend to involve a “win-now” team. Rob Pelinka is managing one of those teams.
The Lakers don’t care about homegrown talent. They don’t need to. Every free agent seems to be linked to the City of Angels, so picks aren’t as valuable to them (maybe the Lakers have rubbed off on Sean McVay and Les Snead).
It helps that the two teams were in discussions over the summer. The sticking point is the two first-rounders LA would have to give up.
Turner, along with Hield for Russell Westbrook and two first-rounders, is the deal everyone’s looking for.
Indiana Pacers…
The driving factor behind Turner’s perpetual state in these kinds of articles has little to do with his ability but rather the team’s timeline. A core of Haliburton, Benn Mathurin, Buddy Hield, Andrew Nembhard, Chris Duarte, and Turner is solid. They had the money to offer Deandre Ayton a max extension, so perhaps they go in that direction now to improve the team rather than trading for future assets.
Turner fits this group, but it’s understandable that he may be irritated with management for dangling him on a stick to other GMs for the past few years (are we sure it’s only been that long?).
