In Myles Turner, Pacers draft a big man with room for growth

A day after the Indianapolis Star published that David West will opt out of the final year of his contract, the Indiana Pacers used the 11th pick in the draft to select Myles Turner, a 7’0 center out of the University of Texas.

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While this pick seemed to surprise some at the time, Chad Ford’s big board (along with multiple other mocks) had Myles Turner going to Indiana since workouts began last month. However, circumstances changed and who knows whether Turner was always the plan for Indiana. Many would jump to say he was not.

After Willie Cauley-Stein was selected by Sacramento with the 6th pick, Indiana’s most attractive options became to Frank Kaminsky, Trey Lyles, Cameron Payne, Turner, and Justise Winslow(!). Charlotte selected Kaminsky, and Miami selected Winslow with the 10th pick in what is arguably the biggest steal of the draft, but Winslow was never a real option for Indiana as it seemed like he would always go in the top-10. This left Indiana with Trey Lyles, Cameron Payne, Myles Turner, or the option to trade the pick away.

Indiana ended up selecting Turner with their pick, but some were not pleased. In fact CBS NBA writer James Herbert gave Indiana a “D” for selecting the Texas big man, citing Payne and Lyles as better options for Indiana in the short term because of risks in the long term. Others, however, were more kind to Indiana and ESPN’s Chad Ford said although he was surprised Indiana passed on Murray State PG Cameron Payne that he “can’t fault them for taking Turner,” but also noted that fans will have to be patient.

So what does Indiana get out of Myles Turner? A 7’0″, 239-pound monster with a 7’4” wingspan for one. Turner has good size and length, making him an attractive prospect, but also proved his defensive ability in his one year with the Longhorns.

Going into the draft, Roy Hibbert’s plans on his player option this summer remained unknown. Grantland’s Zach Lowe broke the news that Hibbert does plan to opt in during the draft, but those in the Pacers front office didn’t know for sure when they were picking (and still don’t, according to Bird in his post-draft press conference). This certainly did not help Bird or his draft team, and so Indiana went “safe” and picked Turner. “Safe,” because he is an immediate backup for Hibbert, but questions remain of Turner and his durability.

Now, with news of Hibbert staying, Bird will reportedly put him on the trade block. It was telling that he Bird was not thrilled about the uncertainly when, at a press conference, his sharp tongue came to the forefront. He told inquiring reporters these were West and Hibbert’s decisions and that the media should call them if they wanted an answer.

Both Bird and Vogel though, were high on Turner saying that as a “prospect” they felt he could develop into a very useful player.  “He’s a seven-footer who is versatile and can play two positions,” said Bird. “He has a 7-4 wingspan and he’s a good shooting big man. We know he improved in his one year in college and will make big strides as he goes on. We look forward to working with him.”

Vogel also added that since Turner is young, he will obviously make some mistakes but given time could turn into a starter. He was quick to praise Turner’s intelligence and basketball IQ, but at just 19 he remains the first teenager brought in since Davis Bertens (19) in 2011 – a player who has yet to actually play in an NBA game, according to the Indy Star’s Candace Buckner.

Turner, for his part, said he was happy to go to Indiana.  “I felt very comfortable going to Indiana and being within that system that’s looking to change,” said Turner. “Hopefully, we can be able to make it to the playoffs next year. I am very happy with where I ended up. I’m an NBA player now and nobody can take that away from me. All this hard work got me to where I am today, and I couldn’t be happier.”

So what does Indiana get out of Myles Turner?

A 7’0″, 239-pound monster with a 7’4” wingspan for one. Turner has good size and length, making him an attractive prospect, but also proved his defensive ability in his one year with the Longhorns.

He’s smart – as Vogel pointed out – and also has great hands for his size, but where the concerns lay are where Hibbert’s concerns were not too long ago: He runs funny, he is not a great scorer (yet), and he needs to add both muscle and toughness. If he can add the necessary strength and prove that he’s in good shape to get up and down the floor, Pacers fans will be seeing more reward than risk down the line.

Before the draft, Pacers fans were rooting for their team to pick everyone from Cameron Payne to Trey Lyles to Willie Cauley-Stein and on down the line. Instead, what they got was a potential replacement for Roy Hibbert, who if not traded before the year ends, will very likely be gone when he becomes a free agent at the end of next year.

Turner has a lot of work to do, but his opening message to Pacers fans was just that he’s ready to go to work.

Next: Pacers Prepare for Life Without David West

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