For nearly 10 years, big man Myles Turner has established himself as an essential part of the Indiana Pacers' roster. During his time in the league, Turner has become one of the best stretch bigs and has been widely coveted by many rival teams. For years, the Texas native has been the subject of trade rumors, including earlier this year. However, Turner has remained in Indiana despite all the rumors.
While Turner and the Pacers are in a good standing in the NBA, his future with the team is still uncertain, though for a different reasons. Turner is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the offseason and is ineligible for a contract extension. The two sides have been loyal to one another for a decade, but there is still some risk involved given that Turner is free to sign with any team in the NBA this summer.
Earlier this year, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Pacers may not want to meet Turner's asking price for his new contract. A couple of months later, NBA insider Brian Windhorst provided a separate report (subscription required) regarding Turner that does not bode well for his future in Indiana.
Pacers are reportedly not willing to pay luxury tax
According to Windhorst, "the Pacers absolutely want to keep Turner." However, signing him to a new deal this offseason would likely force them to pay the luxury tax, which is something they have not done in two decades. In addition to Turner, Bennedict Mathurin could be in line for a new contract as well as he is eligible for a rookie-scale extension. The Pacers might become an expensive team. However, Windhorst reported that the Pacers have "no plans" of going into the luxury tax next season, which may result in Turner walking away from the organization in the offseason.
"Team sources told me the Pacers absolutely want to keep Turner, who is closing in on his 700th game for the franchise. But Indiana has to manage a cash crunch. They are currently projected to be about $22 million below next season's luxury tax without Turner, and he'll probably be looking for a significant raise on his current $19.9 million salary. The Pacers haven't paid the luxury tax since 2005, and there are no plans to go into it next season, sources said. Keeping Turner is going to require some negotiating and some maneuvering," Windhorst said.
It remains to be seen what will happen between Turner and the Pacers. The Pacers have a major decision to make and must decide what to prioritize between keeping the roster intact and having as much financial flexibility as possible. Turner provides immense value to the Pacers' success, and losing him for nothing will cause major problems for the team.
The Pacers also do not have a legitimate replacement for Turner. There are not many big men in the NBA who are better than Turner, and it is fair to say there is not a single one the Pacers can realistically acquire. By most accounts, it makes more sense for the Pacers to spend money and keep Turner around no matter the cost.
There is still some basketball remaining before the Pacers prepare for potentially a second consecutive deep playoff run. The Pacers have a bright future, but only time will tell if Turner is a part of that future or not.