A new report suggests the Indiana Pacers inking Myles Turner to a new long-term deal is very likely. However, his sizable contract will force the team to trade away other players this summer.
“Indiana has reached the Eastern Conference finals for a second straight spring. It’s a momentous run that has left numerous rival teams with the strong impression that free agent-to-be Myles Turner is not going to be gettable this summer,” NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on Friday. “The rising expectation, league sources say, is that Turner will be extending his stay in the Hoosier State.”
If the 10-year veteran chose to test his value in NBA free agency, he would be the best center available this summer. As well as one of the better players on the market overall. However, with few teams outside of the Brooklyn Nets with much to spend, it is not a great year to be a free agent.
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Turner’s potential return to the Pacers is a win for both sides. However, Fischer also revealed that his next contract will have notable salary cap ramifications and will be bad news for certain players on the roster.
“Signing Turner to a new deal would inevitably present some luxury tax concerns of their own for the Pacers to deal with,” he wrote. “Which has various teams anticipating roster-consolidation trade conversations in Indiana after this joy ride of a season to better position the payroll for Turner’s re-signing.”
Key players like Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, Jarace Walker, or even Bennedict Mathurin could be the odd men out if Indiana needs to shed a little payroll to avoid passing the luxury tax threshold.
Myles Turner posted 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, two blocks, and shot a career-best 40% from behind the arc for the Indiana Pacers this season.
