Ahead of Myles Turner's free agency this offseason, the Indiana Pacers may be looking elsewhere as the team has reportedly expressed interest in Phoenix Suns big man Nick Richards (h/t Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).
The Suns guaranteed Richards' $5 million salary for the 2025-26 season, but the team may still have interest in trading him this offseason to clear up a logjam at center.
Assuming Scotto's report is true, this is an interesting turn for the Pacers as re-signing Turner in free agency seemed like a guarantee. It still could be, but this is still important to monitor. Is this an attempt to add another quality backup center after the Pacers picked up Tony Bradley's option, or is this insurance in case Turner does leave in free agency?
Nick Richards could be an intriguing acquisition for Indiana
There is a lot to like about Richards' game. The Suns big man is a good shot-blocker and provides great size at 7'1". Furthermore, he brings a good paint presence on both sides of the ball and is a solid finisher at the rim. Most importantly, he is a good rebounder, which would help the Pacers drastically. However, he is a completely different player in comparison to Turner, which makes their reported interest in him interesting.
The Jamaican native does not provide much offensive value outside of the paint, and he lacks consistency on both sides of the ball. Furthermore, even at his best, he would not be able to replace Turner's value. Even so, Richards would be a solid backup in Indiana, especially for his price.
Regardless of what happens with Richards, the Pacers' main priority should be to re-sign Turner. The Texas native provides a ton of value to the Pacers on both sides of the ball, even though he played poorly during the NBA Finals.
As it stands, it is fair to assume the Pacers and Turner will come to terms on a new deal to keep him around, and rightfully so. There are few big men in the league who would be able to replace Turner's impact on the court, especially his ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim. Even if signing him will force the Pacers into the luxury tax, this is still a risk they have to be willing to take.
Despite his flaws, Turner played a huge role in Indiana's recent NBA Finals appearance, and if they plan on making it back in the near future, they will need to bring him back and continue banking on his impact.
After their NBA Finals appearance last season, the Pacers' moves this offseason could prove to be critical as they aim to make it back, maybe even next year, despite Tyrese Haliburton's injury. The Pacers will have some big decisions to make, and although it all starts with Turner, it clearly will not end there.
With the beginning of free agency just a few hours away, there will be quite a few storylines for the Pacers to follow. While the most important one will be regarding Turner and his free agency, there is now another name to keep an eye on in the offseason in Richards, who, potentially, could end up becoming the team's new center for next season.