Earlier this offseason, in a shocker, Myles Turner left the Indiana Pacers after a decade to join the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers and Bucks have had many intense battles over the years, especially recently, and they are also division rivals. Many fans were upset about Turner's departure anyway, but his decision to go to Milwaukee made it that much worse. Plus, his comments after the fact certainly didn't help either.
Recently, Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton spoke about Turner's departure. While he made it clear that he is "happy" for him, he also made it clear that he doesn't "like to see" him in Milwaukee, which is a sentiment many fans can share (h/t Self Made Pro on YouTube).
"I’m happy for the man. The thing about the NBA is, there’s only so many of us. You want to see dudes get paid, you want to see dudes be able to take care of their families. He’s able to do that. He’s a guy I got to play alongside for a long time, and we grew a great relationship. Obviously, seeing him go to Milwaukee, I don’t like to see that. I don’t want to see him in Milwaukee, but it is what it is, and there will be smoke when we see them like there would be anyway," Haliburton said.
While Haliburton took the high road and made sure to show love to his former teammate, it seems evident that he is not happy about his decision.
With Turner officially out of the picture, the Pacers will need to find a replacement for him. They have a plan in place, but there is not a lot to love about it. Regardless, the Texas native's exit put Indiana in a tough spot, and it is now crucial that they find a solution to their problems before it's too late.
The Pacers need to replace Myles Turner
Turner's exit was a surprise for two reasons. First, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would return in free agency. Both sides were open about wanting him to remain in Indiana, and the team was finally winning with him on the roster. And second, the Bucks were not even a rumored team to have interest in him. If anything, it would have been far less surprising if he went to a team like the Los Angeles Lakers, who had been linked to him for a very long time.
Ultimately, the Pacers have been dealt a bad hand, and now they need to figure out how to move forward.
As it stands, the team is expected to run a committee at center. While there is potential for this to work, it's far from ideal. Indiana has some solid options, such as Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, and James Wiseman, but none of them are established starting centers on a championship-level team. They will have all of next season to figure things out, but this is not too promising in its current state.
Turner was not a perfect big man whatsoever, but he was as close to a perfect fit in Indiana's system as possible. He could stretch the floor, protect the rim, and run the court at such a high level. The Pacers will miss him, especially if they don't find a way to replace him.
The Pacers will get to see their former starting center return to Indy sooner rather than later. This will be a big game for both the fans and the players. Turner was a big part of the Pacers' recent success, but he is now a part of the opposition, and it is fair to assume that many fans will not take to kindly to his return once it happens.