Myles Turner was a crucial part of the Indiana Pacers' recent success, and the team will certainly miss his presence. However, he was also a very flawed center, and fans are going to find out soon enough that they will be fine without him.
The Texas native spent the first 10 years of his career with the Pacers after the team drafted him with the 11th overall pick in 2015. However, in a shocking development, Turner left the team this offseason and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving them scrambling to figure out what the future of their center position looks like.
With next season already looking rough for Indiana following Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles injury, Turner's departure only rubbed salt in the wound. And it was even worse considering that he joined a divison rival.
There is no doubt that the Pacers will miss Turner, and their center situation could be a mess next season. However, when it's all said and done, the team will realize that they can still compete without him, and they may even be better off than if they had brought him back in the summer.
Myles Turner is already showing signs of regression
Turner was a great player for the Pacers, and he was an excellent fit with the team, but it is fair to think he has already hit his peak in the NBA.
For a long time, Turner was fantastic at stretching the floor and protecting the rim, leading the league in blocks in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He was never much of a rebounder, and there were times when that hurt the team. However, his pros outweighed his cons, and the team was able to figure it out anyway because of how much value Turner brought in other areas of his game.
Unfortunately for Turner, it is looking like his best days may be behind him.
The 10-year veteran has clearly lost a step on the defensive side of the ball. He can still protect the rim at a solid level, but beyond that, he does not provide much defensive value in the post, and he is not as mobile as he used to be.
Furthermore, as was made obvious during the Pacers' last playoff run, when his shot isn't falling, Turner is not much of a factor on offense. In Indiana's series against the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025, Turner averaged 11.7 points while shooting 45.9% from the field and 26% from beyond the arc. The Pacers were able to work around this against the Knicks, but they would have greatly benefited from better Turner performances against Oklahoma City.
With Turner out of the picture now, the Pacers are going to utilize a committee at center, and only time will tell if this works out for them. As it stands, however, there is obvious potential, and it may help Indiana diversify their frontcourt.
After Turner joined the Bucks, the Pacers acquired Jay Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies. Huff, while not as big a name, has a similar skillset to Turner, making him an intriguing addition to the team. Plus, outside of Huff, the Pacers have other solid big men in Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley, who can each provide value in their own ways.
The Pacers still have a bright future, and they should be able to re-establish themselves as title contenders. Things are likely going to get worse before the get better, but eventually, there are reasons to believe that it will all work out in the end following Turner's departure, which may prove to be a blessing in disguise.