Although the Indiana Pacers are currently a playoff team, a new report has them willing to make a big move. Starting center Myles Turner has been with the Pacers for a full decade and seemingly on the trading block for much of that time but now finds himself back there.
The Pacers, according to Los Angeles insider Jovan Budha of the Athletic, are considering trading Turner rather than having to re-sign him for more than $30 million a season (around the 40-minute mark).
That probably has a lot to do with them having to pay Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam at least $40 million a season and being unable to pay a third player $30+ million and three players at least $120 million annually. Moving Turner would hurt the Pacers in the short term but could help them sustain their roster in the long term.
The Indiana Pacers may trade the Los Angeles Lakers Myles Turner.
If Turner is indeed available, then the Lakers should definitely have an interest in him. After all, he would suddenly become the best available center on the trade market, and the Lakers have been linked to him in the past.
He is a terrific shot blocker and has developed into a reliable outside threat from three, making him the perfect ideal frontcourt mate to the pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Of course, he would cost them a lot potentially. Rui Hachimura and Jalen Hood-Schifino would have to be included in a possible deal, as well as possibly a 2029 first and lightly protected 2031 first.
If the Pacers did agree to move Turner, they would probably do so to save money as well as help them long-term. That deal would help them in both regards, with Hachimura and Hood-Schifino being on expiring contracts and them being down three firsts from the trade that got them Siakam.
They would be worse off this season with no one near as good as Turner at center on their roster. Indiana could always try to move him for a cheaper center, but a team may not want to move a cheap starting big man for the privilege of paying Turner around $30 million a year.
Probably the more likely outcome is that the Pacers keep Turner through the end of the season and try to re-sign him for less. Or, they could potentially work out a sign-and-trade in the event that he does agree to join a team without cap space. Even so, the Lakers should engage the Pacers in trade talks to see if they can pry Turner away from Indiana.