The Indiana Pacers have long been one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, but with Myles Turner taking his talents to Milwaukee, this might not be the case anymore.
After 10 years in Indiana, Turner left the team to join the Bucks as an unrestricted free agent. This was a shocking move, especially since it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would return to the Pacers. Regardless, the team now has some problems they need to fix.
As it stands, it seems like the Pacers will run a committee at center instead of relying on one player to replace Turner's impact. Despite the lackluster end to his Pacers tenure, the Texas native was crucial to their recent success, and it was always going to be a challenge to replace him. Turner is among the best in the league at stretching the floor and protecting the rim. However, he has always been a poor rebounder, and that cost him and the team multiple times during the NBA Finals.
With Turner no longer on the roster, the Pacers have lost a big part of their dynamic. Even so, they can now address their rebounding, which was one of their major flaws, which should pay dividends for the long haul.
The Pacers' center situation is still less than ideal
While moving on from Turner is not all bad (especially since it seems like it wasn't entirely Indiana's choice), the most obvious problem now is that they have a major hole at center. The Pacers recently acquired Jay Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies, re-signed James Wiseman, and exercised Tony Bradley's team option. Furthermore, they extended a qualifying offer to Isaiah Jackson. While nothing is official yet, it seems likely he will return to the Pacers as a restricted free agent.
The Pacers have a few different options they can roll with, even though there is a serious chance this could backfire. It remains to be seen if any of their options are good enough to be starting-caliber centers in the NBA. All of them have shown flashes at different points, but not in an expanded role. Wiseman and Jackson might provide the most intrigue, especially since they are both young and can help on the rebounding end. However, they are each coming off an Achilles injury.
With next year likely being a gap year for Indiana, they will have an opportunity to experiment a bit and see what sticks. This applies to the team as a whole, but it probably applies the most to the center position. Each big man the Pacers currently have rostered provides value in different areas. However, with Turner gone, the team may opt to put some of their focus on improving their rebounding. This has been a problem for them for a long time. If there is one clear silver lining to Turner leaving, it is that they can address this issue.
How the Pacers play without Turner remains to be seen. He was a fantastic fit in their system, and his departure is a brutal loss for the team. However, Indiana also has an opportunity to fix some things they wouldn't have been able to with Turner. Whether they will or not is a different story. Regardless, there are a few big positives for Pacers fans to take away, even if it may not seem like it.