Now in his 10th season with the Indiana Pacers, big man Myles Turner has established himself as a rock in the team's system. Turner remains one of the best stretch bigs in the league and is a fantastic rim protector. He is the perfect fit alongside Pascal Siakam in the frontcourt, and it is no secret how important he is to the Pacers' success. However, the long-time Pacers big man is quietly putting together a career-high performance in a certain area of his game that has helped him and the team reach a new level.
Myles Turner has reached a new level as a stretch big man
Turner has always been a fantastic perimeter shooter. With the exception of his rookie season (when he only averaged 0.2 three-point field goal attempts per game), the Texas native has shot 33.3% or better from beyond the arc every season. However, he is shooting a career-best 40.1% from the three-point line this season on 5.4 attempts per game (which is also a career high).
Prior to this season, Turner has never shot 40% or better from beyond the arc in a campaign. His previous career-high was 38.8% on 2.6 three-point field goal attempts in 2018-19. Turner's improvement in this area has established him as an even bigger threat from three-point land and has elevated the Pacers' offense to another level.
Furthermore, Turner's improvement as a three-point shooter will pay dividends for the Pacers in the playoffs. Even going up against the best teams in the league, the Pacers are a legitimate playoff threat due to their fast-paced offense and resiliency. Additionally, Turner is a matchup nightmare for most teams around the league, and the Pacers will rely on him heavily when the lights are at their brightest.
Despite being in the league for a decade, Turner is constantly finding ways to improve, which bodes well for his and (hopefully) the Pacers' future. Turner is set to hit unrestricted free agency this season and is not eligible to sign a contract extension beforehand. Reports have indicated that the Pacers want to bring the 29-year-old back, but they do not want to pay the luxury tax. Regardless of how it happens, Turner is proving that the Pacers must bring him back any way they can.
With less than two weeks left in the regular season, Pacers fans will want to keep an extra eye on Turner and how he impacts the games even more than he did before as an improved stretch big.