Even in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles injury, which could keep him out for the entirety of next season, the Indiana Pacers cannot let it cloud their judgment in the offseason. The Pacers have a major decision to make this summer, and it may not seem like the right call right now, but they must re-sign Myles Turner as an unrestricted free agent.
The Pacers fell one win short of achieving their ultimate dream of bringing the Larry O'Brien Trophy to Indiana. While it wouldn't be fair to place all the blame on him, Turner's performance in the NBA Finals did not help the team at all. In the series, the Texas native averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 2 turnovers. Additionally, he shot 37.7% from the field and 21.4% from beyond the arc. Turner scored in single digits in three of the seven games in the series, and scored a combined nine points on 3-for-13 shooting in the last two games.
There is no doubt that Turner had a horrible series, and it cost the team. However, the Pacers should still re-sign him in the offseason, even if it may seem like the wrong move in the wake of Haliburton's injury.
The Pacers need to bring Myles Turner back
Not too long ago, it seemed like a guarantee that the Pacers were going to re-sign Turner this summer. After a rough stretch in the playoffs, this is no longer the case. Still, the Pacers should re-sign their long-time big man for one obvious reason: they do not have an upgrade.
All things considered, Turner is still one of the top centers in the league, and there are few big men who can both stretch the floor and protect the rim as well as he can. Turner is a great fit in Indiana's system, and he is the perfect frontcourt partner alongside Pascal Siakam. Moving on from him (especially if they just simply let him walk without attempting to do a sign-and-trade) would be a disastrous decision for the Pacers, especially because there is no guarantee they will find someone any time soon who can contribute the same way.
Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley are also both free agents this summer, and Isaiah Jackson (who is a restricted free agent) missed nearly the entire season after suffering an Achilles injury. There is likely nobody on the trade market that would be a clear upgrade over Turner, and the same could be said for the free agent market.
It might be at a cheaper cost than it initially seemed to be, and there is a bit more risk involved now, but it would be best for both sides if the Pacers bring Turner back in the summer. With Haliburton's injury, it remains to be seen how competitive Indiana will be in the East. Because of this, it would be in their best interest to bring the team back once again and keep the core together, and that includes re-signing Turner.