At his peak, Myles Turner was a top-tier defender and was one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. However, he has regressed a lot on defense during his last couple of seasons with the Indiana Pacers, and the Milwaukee Bucks are about to learn that firsthand real soon.
After a decade in Indiana, Turner opted to join their division rivals this offseason. While this is a big loss for the Pacers, there is a real chance this works out in their favor for the long run.
The Texas native was valuable to the Pacers because of his ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim at a very high level. However, with his defense no longer being as valuable as it once was, along with the fact that he will turn 30 years old next year, there are reasons to believe that he is regressing.
Recently, Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory Podcast spoke about Turner's regression on defense and made it clear that he also believes the former Pacers big man has fallen off a bit (h/t the Game Theory Podcast on YouTube).
"I would argue that from a five-year stretch there, really his fourth year until probably 2023, Turner was probably a top-10 defender in the NBA, something in that ballpark...Now, he's just not quite as mobile as what he used to be, and I think that that hinders him. I thought this year defensively was probably a pretty real drop off from him," Vecenie said.
If Turner's last couple of seasons are any indication, the Pacers may have gotten out at just the right time, and the Bucks could be in for a rude awakening.
The Pacers might benefit from losing Myles Turner
Heading into the offseason, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Turner would remain with the Pacers after their NBA Finals run. However, this was not the case, and Indiana must now navigate through life without him.
Turner's departure has put the Pacers in a strange spot, specifically regarding their center position. Instead of committing to a one-for-one replacement for him, they will instead run a committee at center, which may ultimately be the right call. There are reasons to believe this could work, but it is still far from ideal.
What many were hoping for was that the 29-year-old would re-sign with the Pacers in the offseason and give the team the option to trade him down the line, at the very least. However, things do not always work out in the NBA, and this is no longer an option for Indiana. Even so, this could help the team in the long run.
At his peak, Turner provided a lot of value on both sides of the ball and was crucial to the team's success. However, as was made obvious during the NBA Finals, those days might be long gone, and things may just be starting to get worse.
The Texas native has regressed defensively, was never a good rebounder, and provides little offensive value when his shot is not falling. Furthermore, re-signing him would have put the Pacers in the luxury tax for the first time in two decades. Now, they have an opportunity to experiment a bit with their center rotation and rely on some younger options who may have more upside.
Turner's departure is going to be felt in Indiana for a long time, but his best days are behind him, and it is only a matter of time before the Bucks realize that.