The Indiana Pacers lost Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason, and they may already be feeling bad about their situation following his departure. Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman are both recovering from a torn Achilles. Furthermore, Jay Huff may be the only healthy center at training camp (depending on what happens with Tony Bradley), but he couldn't crack an NBA rotation until last season.
Whether Turner's leaving was fully on the Pacers or not is still up in the air. Reports indicated that they did not want to pay the luxury tax to re-sign him. However, in July, team president Kevin Pritchard said this was not the case. Additionally, head coach Rick Carlisle revealed that Indiana never truly had a chance to re-sign the Texas native as he seemingly made his decision before they could provide a counteroffer.
Regardless, Turner's departure left a huge void in the Pacers' roster, and their current plan to replace him is far from inspiring.
The Pacers will run a center-by-committee to replace Myles Turner
In order to make up for their long-time big man's departure, the Pacers are going to run a committee at center and rely on multiple players to fill that void. On paper, this is probably their best option, and there is potential for this to work.
Turner had his flaws, but he was also a fantastic fit in Indiana's system. He could stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the length of the court at a high level. Additionally, he had already established that he could play well alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. With him no longer on the roster, it is going to be incredibly difficult for the Pacers to find a one-for-one replacement for him, especially ahead of next season.
While the center-by-committee idea could work in theory, it is still far from ideal. The Pacers have a group of big men who have something to prove and could step up in a big way next season. However, Indiana was just one win away from winning their first-ever NBA championship. In order for them to make it back and compete again, they need an established starting center, and none of their current players are that.
Jackson has been a good player for the Pacers for a few seasons, and he should be a long-term contributor. He is incredibly athletic and is great on the defensive side of the ball. However, he has started just 31 of 163 games in his NBA career so far, and he is also coming off an Achilles injury. There is a lot to like about him, but the Michigan native has yet to play an expanded role in Indiana, and he will have a lot to overcome to prove he can do it.
A lot of the same can be said about Wiseman, who is also fresh off an Achilles injury. The former No. 2 overall pick showed flashes during his limited action for the Pacers last season, but he is not even guaranteed to be on the team heading into the regular season. Unlike Jackson, he had his opportunities to be a starter, yet he failed to make the most of it. This could change in Indiana, but there are not many reasons for fans to believe Wiseman could be a starter on a championship-level team.
Huff is perhaps the most intriguing big man on the Pacers' roster. Indiana acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason after a bit of a breakout season last year. His skillset is very similar to Turner's and he should be able to contribute with the Pacers.
However, the Virginia alum is now on his fifth team in as many seasons. Additionally, before his season in Memphis, he played a combined 31 games and averaged just 5.3 minutes with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Denver Nuggets. Huff can show out in Indiana, but it is important for fans to pump the brakes until he proves he can contribute in a bigger role.
The Pacers can still be a good without Turner, but as it stands, they have a lot going against them following his absence as they look to re-establish themselves as title contenders. Whether it will be too much to overcome or not remains to be seen.