Myles Turner shockingly left the Indiana Pacers to join the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason, but some are actually considering this to be a good thing for the team, including beat writer Alex Golden.
In a recent appearance on "The Kevin O'Connor Show," Golden spoke about how the Pacers may be fine with the Texas native's departure after his recent playoff run, where he got worse each round.
"I just think that, with Myles Turner, it was one of those things where it's like, okay, this is a guy that really fits this system, but I feel like they had a number in mind, because, if you saw what he did in the finals, it felt like every round of the playoffs he did kind of [regress] a little bit," Golden said.
Golden's comments are accurate as Turner not only looked worse using the eye test during each round of the playoffs, but his stats took a major hit as well. This culminated in a poor NBA Finals performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he averaged just 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 37.7% from the field and 21.4% from beyond the arc in seven games.
Turner was a fantastic fit in Indiana's system because of his ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim at a high level. However, he is turning 30 years old in March, and he has already shown some signs of regression. He is not irreplaceable, and soon enough, the Pacers may realize that they may be better off without him in the long run.
Still, in order for that to happen, Indiana needs to find a better long-term center solution, because, as it stands, its solution to replace Turner is far from ideal.
The Pacers need to find an established starting center
With Turner no longer on the roster, the Pacers are going to run a center-by-committee. Currently, they have four centers rostered: Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley. Additionally, they have a few players who can play small-ball center, such as Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker.
For this season specifically, this could work. The Pacers are not going to be too competitive without Turner or Tyrese Haliburton, who is recovering from an Achilles injury, and this is a great time for them to experiment with their roster a bit. However, sooner rather than later, the Pacers are going to aim to re-insert themselves into the title picture, and in order for them to do that, they need a better center situation.
There is a lot to like about each big man Indiana has rostered, but none of them are established starting centers on a championship-level team. This season could change things, but at the moment, it would be incredibly difficult for Indiana to trust someone like Huff or Jackson to play big moments during a playoff run, particularly in the NBA Finals. That is not ideal.
Regardless, that is a problem for next year. For now, the Pacers will look for each of their centers to showcase their value and prove their long-term worth. Worst-case scenario, nobody excels, and Indiana will still need to find a better solution. However, on the flip side, a player or two could stand out and establish themselves as a valuable contributor, which would help the Pacers in their quest of winning their first-ever NBA championship.
There will be a lot of storylines to follow during the Pacers' upcoming season, and until they get a clear answer on their Turner replacement plan, that will continue to be near the top of the list.