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Indiana Pacers: Could Myles Turner Win ROY?

By Colby Giacubeno

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Myles Turner (Texas) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number eleven overall pick to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Myles Turner (Texas) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number eleven overall pick to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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After Adam Silver announced that the Indiana Pacers would select Myles Turner with their No. 11 overall pick, they were graded terribly by multiple national websites. Nobody could understand how they would choose Turner over guys like Sam Dekker, Cameron Payne, and Trey Lyles.

But President Larry Bird and general manager Kevin Pritchard were already set on moving Roy Hibbert, so the frontcourt depth would be little to none. Drafting a guy like Turner held big risk just with the fact that he was a one-and-done player.

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Once you factor in that he didn’t exactly put up outstanding numbers at Texas–10.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game–while being the best player on the team, it brings more into question.

When the Orlando Summer League came around, Pacer Nation was anxious to see how their new big man would fare. For the time being at least, Turner put all worries to rest as he dominated any match up that was presented to him.

Since Indiana only played in the Orlando Summer League, they only played three games. In those three games, Turner averaged 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game. His touch from mid-range looked spectacular even with defenders right in his face.

For 6’11,” Turner doesn’t play above the rim like you would expect, but he is athletic enough to avoid the defender in the air and convert around the rim.

Looking at the draft board at the big named players such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, and D’Angelo Russell, get most of the recognition to be front-runners for the Rookie of the Year Award, but Turner could be sneak up on some people for consideration.

With Hibbert gone, the only true centers left on the roster are Jordan Hill and Ian Mahinmi. Hill was recently arrested for reckless driving, which wasn’t the welcoming he or the Pacers planned on. If he doesn’t get his act together off the court, Turner’s campaign to be the starting center will more than likely be cemented.

Head coach Frank Vogel made it evident while he was interviewed during his attendance at summer league that small-ball will be the style of play for the Pacers next season. This leaves plenty of room for Turner to get his touches and operate in the mid-range and post area.

Being alongside of players like Paul George and Monta Ellis will shift the majority of the pressure off Turner on offense, and if he can perform anything like he did in summer league on the defensive side, he will become the post presence that Indiana is lacking as of right now.

As NBA fans have seen in previous seasons, it is all about what rookie is in the right system and how they fits on their respective team. For Turner’s sake, he is in the perfect situation for a player in his position.

Don’t be surprised if he is one of the players highly considered for Rookie of the Year next season.

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