Nobody on the Indiana Pacers has thanked Myles Turner since his shocking exit in free agency, and the big man didn't bring the team up at his intro presser with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Before signing with Milwaukee earlier this offseason, Turner had spent his entire 10-year career up to this point with the Pacers. He became a crucial part of their success and was a fan favorite. However, in a shocking turn of events, the 29-year-old joined the Bucks even when the general consensus was that he would remain in Indiana after their recent NBA Finals appearance.
Not only were most fans upset about Turner's departure, but it seems that many players are as well. Recently, Scott Agness of the Fieldhouse Files made an interesting observation: nobody from the Pacers' side took to social media to congratulate Turner for his new contract, wish him well in Milwaukee, or even say a simple "thank you." Social media is not everything, but this might still be a bit telling, especially considering the manner of his exit (h/t The Athletic NBA Daily).
"I think it was very odd the fact, here as we're recording this at the end of July, I have not still seen a post on Instagram, on Twitter, saying anything; 'Hey, shoutout to Myles, you're a real one. We love you. Thank you, Myles. Go get your bag," Agness said. "The only thing we have seen, to my knowledge, is the next day, I think, Bennedict Mathurin posted a photo of him dunking on Myles that was at the players' only minicamp at Pascal Siakam's home down in Orlando. That is it."
Regardless of how fans or players may feel about Turner, one thing is crystal clear: the Pacers will have a difficult time filling the void he left, especially with a one-for-one replacement.
The Pacers now have a big problem at center
Turner was far from a perfect center. He is not a good rebounder, his defense took a hit last season, and he provides little offensive value if his shot is not falling. However, the Texas native was a fantastic fit in Indiana's system regardless, mostly due to his ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim. Furthermore, he was capable of running the floor and fitting in nicely with the Pacers' fast-paced system, which not many big men in the league can do.
Now that he is out of the picture, the Pacers must decide how they will replace him. As it stands, it seems like they are going to have a committee at center and essentially treat the starting job like a competition.
Currently, the Pacers have Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley as their center options. All of these big men provide value in their own ways, and they all have a solid case to be an immediate contributor to the team. It currently seems like Jackson is the favorite to be the Pacers' next starting center, but until something becomes official, this will be worth monitoring.
With Turner gone and Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf, the Pacers are expected to be in line for a gap year next season. Even so, they have an incredibly talented team and a bright future. Another NBA Finals appearance down the line is not too far-fetched, but they need to make all the right decisions once again to get to that point. A lot of that will depend on how they can navigate life without Turner, whose departure might give the Pacers a big problem that will be too difficult to address.