A lot has already been said about Myles Turner and what he brings to the Indiana Pacers. Since getting drafted by the team in 2015, Turner has become one of their most important players. The Texas native is one of the best stretch big men in the NBA and has been for a while. Additionally, he is a terrific shot-blocker and is a perfect fit in the Pacers' system.
For years, Turner has been the subject of many trade rumors, including earlier this year. However, in spite of it all, Turner is still a member of the Pacers and has been for roughly a decade. This could change, however, and it could change soon as Turner is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer and is not eligible for a contract extension.
To this point, it is fair to assume Turner will remain in Indiana past this offseason. He has stayed put this entire time, and it seems like wanting him back with the Pacers is a mutual feeling. However, this does not mean that his future in Indiana is certain, and things could get bad for the team pretty soon.
Pacers do not have a Myles Turner replacement, may not want to pay him
The Pacers have avoided the luxury tax for two decades, and earlier this year, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Pacers may not want to pay Turner's asking price this offseason. The Pacers are going to become a very expensive team as it is, and this is not even factoring in a potential contract extension for Bennedict Mathurin, who is eligible for one this offseason. Given their track record, it seems like a real possibility that the front office could prioritize financial flexibility over keeping Turner on the team.
Hypothetically, if Turner does depart from Indiana in the offseason, that would be bad for the team for multiple reasons. However, arguably the biggest one is that the Pacers do not have a legitimate replacement for him. As has been the case for most of the regular season, the Pacers have struggled to even have a reliable backup big man behind Turner after James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson suffered season-ending Achilles injuries earlier in the season.
While Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley have been solid at times, no Pacers fan would feel comfortable about them taking over Turner's spot full-time. Furthermore, there is also no solid external replacement for Turner. If Turner were to leave, the Pacers would be in an even worse spot than many may have realized.
As it stands, there are more reasons than not to believe Turner will stay in Indiana past this offseason. However, the Pacers are still running a risk--one that could be completely damaging to the team and their dreams of contending for a title.