Evan Turner’s stat line didn’t impress in his first year under a big contract. But there are several facets that make him valuable to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 2016 offseason saw a number of free agents receiving big paydays due to a huge salary cap spike. Evan Turner was one of those free agents.
On July 7, 2016, Turner inked a four-year, $70 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. A contract of that size for a player that averaged 10.7 points per game up to the point was sure to draw criticism from basketball fans and media.
Unfortunately, Turner’s averages in 2016-17 didn’t do much to quiet those critiques. However, in the midst of his volatile season, there were a few things that should leave Blazers fans optimistic about what he can offer in the coming years.
Evan Turner finished the 2016-17 season averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. All of those numbers were drop-offs from 2015-16, his final season with the Boston Celtics. That season, he averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
Despite the stat sheet, there were a few highlights in Turner’s season. He had a season-high 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting in a Feb. 3 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He also had 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting in a Jan. 5 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Turner logged two double-doubles. He notched 15 points and 10 rebounds in a Dec. 8 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Turner also had an 11-point, 10-rebound game in a Nov. 2 overtime loss against the Phoenix Suns. He even dished out 11 assists in a Jan. 11 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, Turner had plenty of negatives on his ledger in 2016-17. According to NBA.com, he came away with an average plus-minus of minus-2.8 per game. That’s his worst mark since 2013-14.
While Turner had some good moments, he struggled to find his offense for most of the year. His field goal percentage dropped from 45.6 percent to 42.6 percent from 2015-16 to 2016-17. He improved his three-point percentage from 24.1 percent to 26.3 percent over the same span, but that’s still well below average.
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Turner managed to play 65 games, but had to miss the other 17 games due to two injuries. Turner first missed three games in late December due to a sprained left ankle. But a bigger injury came in February when he suffered a fractured right hand during a Feb. 7 win over the Mavericks. Turner wouldn’t return until March 18 against the Atlanta Hawks.
Through the peaks and valleys of Evan Turner’s first season in Portland, there are some facets to his game that makes him unique and valuable to the Blazers’ game plan.
Turner was looked to throughout the season to be the team’s third playmaker. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum run the offense for much of the game. However, Turner handles things when the situation calls for it. He even was put in that position more so than Shabazz Napier, the actual third-string point guard.
As a result, Turner averaged 3.2 assists per game, fourth-most among current Blazers.
Evan Turner also showed he’s capable of defending multiple positions. He can play small-ball power forward and defend perimeter-shooting bigs. But he is also athletic enough to take on a speedy point guards.
It’s this combination of size, playmaking and defense that makes him so valuable to the Blazers’ rotation despite his scoring struggles.
Heading into the offseason, Turner is very aware that his shooting needs work. He stated in his April 25 exit interview that it is a point of emphasis that he wants to improve.
"“I had things rolling prior to getting injured, where I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the offense, and the flow and feel and everything. When we came back, we played a completely different way a little bit. And, you know, it’s ‘get in-fit in’. But obviously I just want to get better off the ball and give myself the opportunity to help the team, and also not be such a liability in regards to people leaving me open.”"
Portland would be a more dangerous team if Evan Turner adds outside shooting to his repertoire over the summer.
There will continue to be criticism of Evan Turner’s contract for as long as he has it. His current numbers don’t seem to project out to a player that will meet the conventional expectations of what $70 million should get a team.
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However, contract aside, Evan Turner has shown he has plenty to offer the Portland Trail Blazers heading into next season.