As the Indiana Pacers open up the 2023-24 season, let’s take a look at the best options to run offense alongside star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton recorded a stat line of 20.7 points, 10.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds a game last season while shooting 49.0% from the field and 40.0% from behind the arc.
1. Myles Turner
Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner is coming off a career year in which he posted 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He and Tyrese Haliburton’s points alone accounted for almost 24% of the Pacers’ offense.
Tuner’s name has come into some trade speculation over the past couple of years. The Pacers have moved on from names such as Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and Torrey Craig, but Turner has stuck around.
The big man put up great numbers last year, shooting almost 55.0% from the field, 37.3% from the three-point line, and just over 78.-0% from the stripe. He was also one of the leading blockers in the league.
Haliburton and Turner could give opposing defenses fits with pick-and-roll combinations. They also can light up the scoreboard with their inside-outside game, as both players show they have range.
Despite Haliburton only playing in 56 games for the Pacers, he started all of those contests. He averaged 33.6 minutes a game, while Turner averaged just under 30 minutes a game.
Turner saw a little bit more action than his starting point guard as he played and started in six more games than Haliburton did. As long as the Pacers do not move Turner via trade, these two are lined up to be a successful tandem in the NBA this year.
If both players can remain healthy and stay on the court, their numbers could improve even more. As a result, the Pacers should see more wins and climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference.