In his introductory press conference with the Milwaukee Bucks, Myles Turner said his decision to leave the Indiana Pacers after 10 years was about "staying competitive."
"For me, ultimately it was about just staying competitive," Turner said. "Two years ago, we got to the Eastern Conference Finals. Obviously, last year we got to the Finals. Being a big part of winning basketball just changed my entire perspective on this league. I saw a chance to remain competitive here."
There is a lot to like about his fit in Milwaukee, particularly alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Pacers objectively have a better roster and a brighter future, making his rationale a bit questionable. This is true even with Tyrese Haliburton slated to miss all of next season due to an Achilles injury.
It is safe to assume there were other reasons Turner opted to join the Bucks. However, in any case, his biggest reason for doing so is a bit interesting, considering that Milwaukee has yet to reach the conference finals since winning it all in 2021. Furthermore, they got knocked out in the first round each of the last three years, including by the Pacers in 2024 and 2025.
The Texas native's departure was a shock for Pacers fans, and the team now has a lot of uncertainty at the center position. Even so, they have a bright future ahead of them, even if it may not seem that way at the moment.
The Pacers must figure out their center situation
There is no denying that Turner left a lot to be desired in his final games with the Pacers. He struggled for a good portion of the conference finals against the New York Knicks, and he was essentially a non-factor against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Turner always had flaws, but they were exposed heavily in the playoffs.
When his shot is not falling, Turner does not provide much offensive value. Additionally, his defense took a hit, and he has never been a good rebounder. Regardless, the 29-year-old was a big reason the Pacers made it this far in the first place as he was crucial to their success.
There are not many big men in the league who can stretch the floor and protect the rim as well as Turner can. Furthermore, he was a fantastic fit in Indiana's system. However, with him no longer on the roster, the team must replace him, and they will have the rest of this year and all of next summer to make it happen.
Currently, the Pacers have four big men rostered who will look to help the team replace Turner: Isaiah Jackson (who recently signed a three-year extension to remain in Indiana), Jay Huff, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley. All of these players provide value in different ways, and they each have a legitimate chance to have a big role with the Pacers next season. None of these options are ideal, but at least they are options.
Once Haliburton makes his return, the Pacers will look to re-establish themselves as title contenders. In the meantime, however, they will experiment a bit and give an expanded role to some of their young guys. Above all else, while next season looks grim, the Pacers still have an incredibly young and talented roster with a lot of potential.
A deep playoff run next year is highly unlikely, but the Pacers still have an intriguing outlook, even with Turner taking his talents to Milwaukee. Indiana still has a bright future and should be able to contend in the long run, regardless of what their former long-time big man says.