Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner 2016-17 season review

Now that the 2016-17 NBA season is over, it’s time to evaluate Myles Turner’s contributions to the Indiana Pacers.

When the Indiana Pacers drafted Myles Turner in 2015, not a lot was expected from the 19-year-old center in the short-term. However, Turner began to show early on that his ascension was going to move at a faster pace than anyone anticipated.

Turner had a strong rookie year, posting averages of 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 23 minutes per game. He was expected to make a leap in his sophomore campaign — and he did just that.

Myles Turner started all 81 games he played in during the 2016-17 season, posting 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per contest.

There are many things that Myles Turner does well, but like all young players, he does have room for improvement in certain areas.

Turner is a very good shooter for a 6’11” center, and he extended his range even further last season by connecting on a respectable 35 percent of his three-point shots.

Defensively, he is one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA, finishing second in the league in total blocks (173) during the 2016-17 campaign.

On the flip side, Turner does not have much to offer on the offensive end other than his jump shot. He can’t put the ball on the floor, and his (rarely used) post-up game is relegated to turnaround jumpers for the most part.

Turner needs work on setting screens, and he is not a great one-on-one defender in the post — opposing big men tend to push him around due to Turner’s lack of bulk and strength.

One good measure of a player’s value is his on court/off court number, and Myles Turner performed well in this category last year.

According to 82games.com, Turner tallied an on-court/off-court value of +8.0 in 2016-17, indicating that Indiana was a much better team when Myles Turner was on the basketball court.

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Another useful metric is the Defensive Real Plus-Minus statistic from ESPN. Myles Turner was ranked 15th defensively out of 70 NBA centers last year, so his performance there was also quite good.

Myles Turner is clearly an outstanding young player, but expectations for him have grown to a point where they are almost out of control.

In projecting Turner’s future value, the word “superstar” has been associated with him not only by fans, but by NBA insiders such as Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers.

Now that the expectations for Myles Turner have become that high, one must look at his game and evaluate him not only on what he’s done, but what he can become.

Turner is a very productive player and an ideal sidekick for an All-Star like Paul George, but as good as Turner is, he has a long way to go if he is ever to achieve the kind of greatness many see in his future.

Next season the Pacers will be Myles Turner's team. Time to step up and shine like the superstar we all know you can be big guy!! #TheFuture
— Lil Peach On Ya D (@OG_LilPeach) May 31, 2017

As stated above, there are holes in Turner’s game that will prevent him from ever being more than a second or third option on a quality team unless those issues are addressed.

Seeing the glass as half-full, Myles Turner is a young player who has exceeded all early expectations to become a key member of the Indiana Pacers. His stellar attitude and work ethic also appear to give him a great chance at further improvement.

However, those who are already pegging Turner as a dominant, multiple-time All-Star in the near future may need to curb those expectations a bit. Everyone would agree that Myles Turner was an excellent draft choice at No. 11 overall two years ago, but just how far he can go as a player is still up for debate.

Can Myles Turner become a perennial NBA All-Star? If Paul George leaves or is traded, can Turner fill the void by becoming the face of the Pacers franchise?

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Those are some heady questions, and the 2017-18 season will go a long way in providing the answers regarding Myles Turner’s NBA future.