Myles Turner

Central Notes: Nwora, Turner, Dragic, Green

March 5th, 2023 at 5:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jordan Nwora was acquired by the Pacers from the Bucks at the trade deadline and coach Rick Carlisle has been impressed by the reserve forward, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. Nwora, who is signed through next season, is averaging 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.2 minutes in six games with Indiana. “Nwora’s a skilled player,” Carlisle said. “Positionally, he does a better job defensively than a lot of people might think. … He’s getting better and better for us.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Myles Turner, a prime trade candidate before last month’s deadline, is thrilled he signed a two-year extension with the Pacers, he told Alex Kennedy of Basketball News. “I’m glad that we got it done. I think it was a win-win for both sides,” Turner said. “I think I have a good relationship with (Pacers owner) Herb Simon, and I think he has a big belief in what I’m capable of as well. I’m glad that we were able to come to terms on an agreement. Behind the scenes, for me personally, I was open to the idea of free agency, but I also wanted to at least give Indy a fair chance, and both sides came to an agreement.”
The Bucks were interested in Goran Dragic because he gives them a pure point guard off the bench, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. Dragic could bring the ball up the floor and get the Bucks into their offense for 10 minutes per night during the postseason, Nehm speculates, which could ease the burden off their other play-makers. Current backup Jevon Carter has more impact on the defensive end and doesn’t typically bring the ball up the floor. Dragic signed on Saturday after clearing waivers.
Javonte Green was supposed to return to action by now after undergoing an arthroscopic debridement on his right knee in January. However, his recovery has gone more slowly than expected, Bulls coach Billy Donovan told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago and other media members. “Different stuff that they try to push him towards, they have to go off of his tolerance,” Donovan said. “We’ve been kind of at the same thing where I think the linear, straight-ahead running has been pretty good. But they’ve not been able to progress him yet to any lateral stuff.” A free agent after the season, Green has only appeared in 28 games.

Pacers Notes: Turner, Haliburton, Theis, Cap Room

February 1st, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

As a result of his contract renegotiation and extension, Pacers center Myles Turner now has base salaries of $34,596,500 this season, $20,975,000 in 2023/24, and $19,928,500 in ’24/25, Hoops Rumors has learned. Since Turner’s original base salary for this season was $17.5MM, his deal features exactly $58MM in new money.

Turner could technically earn his maximum salary of $37,096,500 this season, since he has another $2.5MM in likely and unlikely incentives available in 2022/23 from his previous contract. In his two new extension years, he’ll have $3MM in total bonuses ($1.5MM annually), so the renegotiation-and-extension could be worth up to $61MM overall.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Discussing his decision to sign an extension with Indiana, Turner expressed confidence in the direction of the franchise and suggested he believes he has plenty of room to continue improving, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “I have such a strong belief in this organization and this city and what the city encompasses,” he said. “That’s a huge factor in my decision to stay it. … I’m just getting started. I’m just starting to feel like the best version of myself.”
Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has been sidelined since January 11 due to elbow and knee injuries, practiced on Tuesday and Wednesday and is on track to be available on Thursday when Indiana hosts the Lakers, head coach Rick Carlisle said today (Twitter link via the team).
Carlisle was less certain today about Daniel Theis‘ status for Thursday, tweets Dopirak, but the veteran center has been practicing this week and said after Tuesday’s session that he had “no pain (and) no issues,” according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Theis, out all season due to a knee ailment, continues to target a Thursday return, Agness adds.
If the Pacers want to make use of the $10.7MM in remaining cap room they still have available this season, they’ll have to renounce their cap hold for Tyreke Evans, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Given that Evans hasn’t played in the NBA in 2019, the Pacers likely won’t hesitate to remove that cap hold from their books if an opportunity arises to take advantage of their cap space.

Carlisle, Pritchard: Myles Turner Won’t Be Traded

January 30th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers didn’t extend Myles Turner in order to trade him, coach Rick Carlisle told Marc Stein (Twitter link) and other media members.

“Yes, he’s off the trade block,” Carlisle said.

There were some questions initially whether the extension, which Turner signed on Monday, would still allow Indiana to deal the big man. While it turns out that Turner is trade-eligible, Carlisle’s comment made it clear that’s not going to happen.

President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard reiterated that Turner will be staying put, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets.

“One of the things we’ve always believed in is we sign a player to sign a player. We don’t sign a player to trade a player. … We signed Myles to be here,” he said.

As for how Indiana will approach the trade deadline and this offseason, Pritchard spoke in vague terms, Dopirak adds in a separate tweet. Pritchard likes the way the Pacers have progressed and grown but adds they’ll be opportunistic if the right offer comes along.

Turner is enjoying a career year, averaging 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per night. He received a $17.1MM renegotiation on his salary for the current season. He’ll make approximately $21MM for 2023/24 and $20MM for the following season.

Myles Turner Signs Two-Year Extension With Pacers

January 30th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 30: Turner’s extension is now official, the Pacers announced in a press release.

JANUARY 28: The Pacers have reached a two-year extension agreement with Myles Turner, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Turner’s agent, Austin Brown of CAA Sports, tells Woj that the deal includes a $17.1MM renegotiation on the center’s salary for the current season. Turner will have that amount added to the $18MM he’s already receiving in 2022/23. It’s the largest renegotiation deal in NBA history, according to Wojnarowski, and it’s possible because the team had a significant amount of remaining cap space.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Turner’s yearly salaries will be about $35MM for the current season, approximately $21MM for 2023/24 and $20MM for the following season, giving the deal a total value of approximately $58MM in new money.

Because Turner’s current contract contains $2MM in unlikely bonuses, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), $17.1MM was the maximum amount the Pacers were allowed to add to his $18MM salary this season (Turner’s maximum salary is $37.1MM).

Marks explains that because Turner’s deal came through a renegotiation, the Pacers were permitted to drop his salary by 40% in the first year of the extension, to approximately $21MM in 2023/24. Marks adds that the agreement doesn’t change Turner’s trade status; he’s still eligible to be dealt before the February 9 deadline.

Turner appeared to be headed out of Indiana last summer, as one of the offseason’s hottest rumors was a deal that would have sent him and Buddy Hield to the Lakers in exchange for Russell Westbrook and L.A.’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2029. The Lakers decided against parting with that much draft capital, and Turner is putting up the best numbers of his career with a surprising Pacers team.

He’s averaging career-highs with 17.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range. He’s also among the league’s best shot blockers, swatting away 2.4 per game this season.

Assuming Indiana plans to keep Turner, he will be part of a young foundation for the team to build around, along with Tyrese Haliburton and rookie Bennedict Mathurin. Turner is only 26 and should be well positioned to land another large contract two years from now.

Notes On Myles Turner’s New Deal With Pacers

January 29th, 2023 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers‘ ability to use their remaining cap room as part of Myles Turner‘s extension makes the deal extremely team-friendly over the next two seasons, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Turner will receive an extra $17.1MM for the current season as part of a renegotiation that adds two years to his contract. Dopirak notes that he will earn $21MM in 2023/24, which is less than 16% of a projected $134MM salary cap. Turner will take up an even smaller percentage of the cap in 2024/25, when his salary declines to $20MM. As Dopirak points out, that’s significant because 2024/25 will be the first year of Tyrese Haliburton‘s expected extension.

Turner is putting up career numbers this season, which has coincided with his full-time move back to center after Domantas Sabonis was traded to the Kings at last year’s deadline.

“He’s been itching to play the five,” lead assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “What that means and what it does is it puts him into the action in terms of setting screens, being in trail, reversing the ball through him. Any player knows when they get to touch the basketball, whether they’re shooting it, passing it or just reversing it, it just engages their mind a little bit.

“We’re seeing him finish at the rim. We’re seeing him get more shots at the rim this year. We’re seeing him make a concerted effort to get offensive rebounds, especially against teams that switch and he’s got a smaller guy on him. But I think he’s embracing the role. I think he’s embracing the physical nature that we need from him.”

Here’s more on Turner’s renegotiation and extension with the Pacers:

There are conflicting interpretations on whether the rules related to renegotiations in the Collective Bargaining Agreement would allow Turner to be traded prior to the February 9 deadline. ESPN’s Bobby Marks stated on Saturday that Turner remains trade-eligible, and cap expert Larry Coon agrees with that interpretation (Twitter link), but Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) isn’t so sure. As Pincus notes (via Twitter), the language in the CBA is vague, indicating that a renegotiation can’t be completed in conjunction with a trade, but not providing any information on whether a player could be traded a week or two after finalizing a renegotiation.
The CBA provides specific guidelines for extensions and trades, making players ineligible to be dealt for six months if their new contract exceeds the extend-and-trade limits (Turner’s doesn’t). For now, we’re assuming Turner remains trade-eligible, but the extension seemingly eliminates the Pacers’ motivation for moving him, since they no longer have to worry about losing him for nothing in free agency this summer.
Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files hears that Turner’s agent Austin Brown and the Pacers’ front office were engaged in contract negotiations over the last two weeks, with the agreement being finalized during the last 48 hours.
The Pacers will still have approximately $10.7MM in cap room after completing their deal with Turner, Marks states in a YouTube video breaking down the renegotiation and extension. Indiana’s team salary is now above this season’s minimum salary floor, Agness notes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Rockets Rumors: Collins, Turner, Gordon, Martin

January 27th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have some interest in Hawks forward John Collins, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko suggests that Houston hasn’t put a formal offer on the table for Collins, but that the two teams have talked as Atlanta gauges league-wide interest in the big man.

As Iko details, the Rockets have expressed interest in Collins in the past, including when they traded Clint Capela to Atlanta back at the 2020 deadline. Although they’re intrigued by the possibility of acquiring the 25-year-old, the Rockets would have to consider a number of factors, including Collins’ fit alongside young cornerstones Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith, as well as his long-term contract.

According to Iko, the Rockets value the cap flexibility they have going forward. Collins’ contract would cut significantly into that flexibility — he’s owed $25.3MM next season and $26.6MM in 2024/25, with a $26.6MM player option for ’25/26. Before talks with the Hawks get serious, Houston would have to decide whether it’s worth sacrificing both current assets and future opportunities for Collins.

Here’s more from Iko on the Rockets:

Houston has interest in Pacers center Myles Turner, but he’d likely be a target in free agency rather than via trade, according to Iko. The Rockets would be reluctant to engage in a bidding war and surrender valuable assets for a player on an expiring deal.
Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon remains a strong candidate to be traded before the February 9 deadline (and has privately expressed some frustration with his situation, per Iko), but the Rockets are also open to the idea of adding another veteran or two to their roster. As Iko explains, the team’s rebuild has perhaps left the roster perhaps too young, with 10 Houston players no older than 22. The front office may prefer a little more balance.
Team and league sources tell Iko that a few clubs around the league have floated the idea of offering a first-round pick for Kenyon Martin Jr., but the Rockets haven’t received any concrete offers. Houston wouldn’t be interested in trading Martin for a second-round pick, Iko adds.

Trade Candidate Watch: Impending Free Agent Centers

January 24th, 2023 at 1:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Leading up to the February 9 trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA. We’re continuing that series today with a closer look at a group of centers who could be on the market.

Jakob Poeltl, Spurs

Salary: $9.4MM

Now in his seventh season, Poeltl has developed into a quality starting center during his tenure with the Spurs. Notably, he has become a more confident and reliable scorer, and a much-improved passer, while cutting back on his fouls and maintaining his typical above-average rebounding and interior defense.

The scoring and passing were really important additions to the Austrian’s game. The scoring allows him to punish switches, and the play-making means he can still have an impact away from the basket — critical for a non-shooter like Poeltl.

The Spurs are reportedly looking for at least one first-round pick – and preferably two – for the 27-year-old. If a team trades for him, it needs to be both reasonably sure it can re-sign him and willing to pay him — he’s expected to command around $20MM per year as a free agent, which is what Jarrett Allen received from the Cavs in 2021.

Myles Turner, Pacers

Salary: $18MM

Turner is having a career year at the perfect time, as he is certainly boosting his stock ahead of free agency. He’s averaging career highs in points (17.0), rebounds (7.8), and free throw attempts (4.3) per game, as well as field goal percentage (55.1%) and three-point percentage (39.6%).

A renowned shot blocker who has led the league in that category twice, Turner’s game has blossomed with the arrival of Tyrese Haliburton. If the Pacers are unable to find common ground with Turner’s representatives on an extension, they would be wise to recoup value for him rather than lose him for nothing.

One potential red flag for would-be suitors: The 26-year-old has had extended injury absences each of the past two seasons, though he has been relatively healthy in 2022/23, having missed nine of 49 games to this point.

Christian Wood, Mavericks

Salary: $14.32MM

Wood’s situation is somewhat similar to Turner’s, as both big men are having strong seasons and are reportedly discussing extensions with their respective teams. A very talented offensive player, Wood has shot at least 50% from the field and 37% from three each of the past four seasons.

The 27-year-old has bounced around, having played for seven teams in as many NBA seasons. Wood was quite skinny entering the league, isn’t a great decision-maker, and has defensive concerns. There were also some question marks about his attitude, though those seem to have gone away as he’s gotten more minutes in recent years.

While Wood theoretically can play both frontcourt spots, he has clearly been more effective as a center, especially on defense. He’s currently dealing with a fractured left thumb, but that shouldn’t impact his value much unless he needs surgery, and there’s been no indication that’s necessary to this point.

Given what happened last year with losing Jalen Brunson for nothing in free agency, and the fact that Dallas is over the cap and can’t easily replace him, you would expect the front office to keep Wood around. Still, if an extension isn’t reached, he could very well be traded.

Serge Ibaka, Bucks

Salary: Veteran’s minimum

Ibaka was a good player for a long time, leading the NBA in blocks per game twice early in his career with Oklahoma City and then transforming into a solid outside shooter. He was a key rotation player for the Raptors when they won the title in 2019.

Unfortunately, Ibaka underwent back surgery in June 2021 while with the Clippers and hasn’t looked the same since. At 33 years old and in his 14^th season, he certainly has a wealth of experience, but it’s unclear how much he can contribute at this point in his career.

The Bucks reportedly agreed to seek a trade for the veteran big man, who has only made 16 appearances in ‘22/23. The Nets, Heat and Hawks are among the teams said to have interest in Ibaka.

Mason Plumlee, Hornets

Salary: $9.08MM

An energetic big man, Plumlee is surprisingly having a career year for a 13-35 Hornets team that currently has the third-worst record in the NBA. Considering he turns 33 in a couple months, is an impending free agent, and the Hornets are going nowhere this season, it’s fair to wonder why Plumlee is playing a career-high 28.3 minutes per game, but he has provided solid production.

Through 48 games, all starts, the veteran center is averaging career highs in points (12.0), rebounds (9.8) and FG% (66.8). He’s also tied for a career-high in assists per game with 3.6.

All of those things are positives, but Plumlee is a subpar defensive player who isn’t a threat to shoot, though the right-handed center has busted out a one-handed lefty jump shot on occasion, and it is a sight to behold; he’s actually shooting above his career mark from the free throw line with it. He’s ideally more of a decent backup than a starter, but maybe the Hornets can get a second-round pick or two for him if they take on some money beyond this season.

Naz Reid, Timberwolves

Salary: $1.93MM

The Wolves have reportedly discussed an extension with Reid, with a maximum offer worth about $58MM over four years. I don’t expect him to get that much as a free agent, but considering an extension hasn’t been reached yet, obviously there’s a gap between what the Wolves have offered and what Reid is seeking.

The Clippers, Nuggets and Nets have all reportedly expressed interest in the 23-year-old, who has shown some interesting flashes when given minutes. However, his addition to this list is more cursory than anything, because it’s hard to envision the Wolves trading him unless they’re absolutely certain he will walk in free agency.

Karl-Anthony Towns is still injured, so Reid still has a big pretty spot in the rotation. The Wolves would want to get a player who can contribute right away in return if they moved him.

That’s complicated by the fact that the former undrafted free agent is earning less than $2MM this season – you can’t find many rotation-ready players at that price. If Reid does get traded, it seems more likely that he would be part of a multiplayer trade that sends out – and brings back – more salary than his alone.

Injury Notes: Jokic, Giannis, Turner, Capela

January 14th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

The right wrist injury that sidelined Nuggets star Nikola Jokic on Friday has been “bothering him for a while,” head coach Michael Malone said before the game, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter links). However, the team doesn’t seem to have any long-term concerns about that wrist issue, which doesn’t appear to be serious, Singer adds.

While it may be true that Jokic has been dealing with the ailment for a while, the impact on his performance hasn’t exactly been noticeable. In his last 10 games, he has averaged 24.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 10.9 APG on .625/.524/.889 shooting.

Jokic and the Nuggets made the decision to sit him on Friday to let the wrist “calm down” a little, according to Malone, who expressed optimism that the two-time MVP will be available again on Sunday.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the league:

Another former MVP has been dealing with a nagging injury, and it will sideline him on Saturday — Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for a second consecutive game due to left knee soreness, head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). Antetokounmpo scored single-digit points last Friday for the first time all season, then did it again on Wednesday, so it certainly seems like the knee pain has been bothering him.
Pacers center Myles Turner missed a second straight game on Friday due to back spasms, and while head coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t expect to be a long-term problem, he said the big man is unlikely to play on Saturday, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “It will be days, not hours, how about that?” Carlisle said. “There’s no concern that this will be anything but a minor thing. (Saturday) is maybe a reach. … Next week is more likely, but we’ll see.”
Hawks center Clint Capela missed his ninth consecutive game on Friday due to a right calf strain. Capela is making steady progress, but is still feeling some soreness in his calf, and as long as that’s the case, the injury isn’t healed, according to head coach Nate McMillan, who said there’s still no timeline for the 28-year-old’s return (Twitter links via Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal Constitution).

Pacers Rumors: Power Forward, Duarte, Collins, Turner, Bitadze

January 12th, 2023 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

The growing sense among rival teams is that the 23-19 Pacers could be a buyer, rather than a seller, at this season’s trade deadline, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Fischer acknowledges that Indiana’s trade deadline outlook could certainly be altered if Tyrese Haliburton‘s foot injury causes him to miss an extended period. Fischer also adds a caveat to the team’s potential status as a buyer — the Pacers won’t be in the market for short-term veterans like Jae Crowder or Bojan Bogdanovic, but will have an eye out for players who could be long-term fits.

According to Fischer, power forward is the spot the Pacers would most like to upgrade. Indiana was high on Keegan Murray prior to the 2022 draft, and while the club was happy to ultimately land Bennedict Mathurin at No. 6, missing out on Murray means the power forward position remains a priority going forward.

If they want to get aggressive, the Pacers will have a couple extra 2023 first-round picks to dangle in trade talks, having acquired Cleveland’s and Boston’s first-rounders. Additionally, while Indiana viewed Chris Duarte as off limits at one point, multiple front office sources tell Fischer that the team has been more willing to discuss him in recent talks.

Here’s more on the Pacers’ plans:

Indiana has had internal discussions about the possibility of pursuing Hawks power forward John Collins, according to Fischer, who notes that Duarte and draft capital might appeal to Atlanta. The Hawks previously pitched the idea of trading Collins to the Pelicans for Trey Murphy and a first-round pick, Fischer explains. The fact that the Pacers could absorb Collins into their cap room without sending out matching salary could also intrigue the Hawks, who are right around the luxury tax line.
The Pacers and Myles Turner‘s representatives at CAA continue to discuss a possible renegotiation-and-extension for the veteran center, sources tell Yahoo Sports. Fischer suggests that the four-year, $133MM offer sheet Indiana gave Deandre Ayton in July would be an “obvious benchmark” for Turner’s side to use in contract negotiations.
Trade rumors involving Turner have slowed down as of late, Fischer observes. Teams like the Hornets, Pelicans, Mavericks, and Lakers have been viewed as potential suitors in the past, but don’t appear to be targeting Turner at this point. If the 26-year-old ends up back on the trade block, the Knicks, Raptors, and Clippers could be fits, Fischer writes.
The most likely Pacers center to be traded is Goga Bitadze, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the club would be willing to work with Bitadze’s representatives to find him a new team. Daniel Theis is due back from injury soon and Bitadze hasn’t had much of a role even with Theis out. The fourth-year center also hasn’t been interested in accepting an assignment to the Pacers’ G League team in Fort Wayne, says Fischer.

Pacers’ Haliburton Injures Knee, Leaves Arena On Crutches

January 12th, 2023 at 7:28am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton left Madison Square Garden on crutches on Wednesday night after injuring his left knee in the second half of Indiana’s game against the Knicks, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

With just over two-and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter, Haliburton drove to the basket for a layup attempt and lost his right shoe while falling awkwardly to the court (video link). He hurt both his left knee and left elbow on the play, per Bontemps, though it sounds like the knee is the more pressing concern.

“He’ll get looked at (Thursday) closely,” head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the game. “He’s walking out of Madison Square Garden on crutches, so I would guess his availability on Friday (vs. Atlanta) will be in question, and probably Saturday (vs. Memphis), too.

“But who knows. One of the great things about Tyrese is he has been banged up the last year and a half that he’s been with us and he always wants to play. He always wants to play, and it’s something that’s really helped our culture as a team. So we’ll hope for the best. We’re surely not going to put him in harm’s way.”

The Pacers, viewed during the preseason as one of the East’s worst teams, have significantly exceeded outside expectations so far in 2022/23. Their 23-19 record puts them in a tie with New York for the No. 6 seed in the conference, and Haliburton has been a huge part of that success.

Through 40 games, the third-year point guard has made a strong case for an All-Star spot, averaging 20.2 points, a league-leading 10.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 33.4 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .480/.399/.880.

Haliburton’s injury came on the same night that the Pacers were without starting center Myles Turner, who was a late scratch due to back spasms, per Bontemps.

“We finished our team meeting, and Myles had a spasm, a reaction in his back. It tightened up pretty significantly. Trainers worked on him for a while, and then he was ruled out,” Carlisle said.

Making it clear that Turner’s unexpected absence was the result of his back ailment and not a trade, Carlisle reiterated a point he made earlier in the season, telling reporters that he has “no interest” in trading the big man. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star notes (via Twitter), the decision on Turner’s future will ultimately be up to Indiana’s front office, but Carlisle is ensuring that his position is known.

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