Myles Turner says everything about Pacers without uttering a word

The big man made an interesting gesture after his Pacers tribute video.
New York Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks
New York Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks | Patrick McDermott/GettyImages

As soon as the tribute video that captured his first 10 years with the Indiana Pacers concluded, new Milwaukee Bucks big man Myles Turner mimicked the action of closing a book. Obviously, it's not too hard to decipher why. That chapter of Turner's life is over. Now, after a turbulent summer where some bridges were burned, Turner is excited to be with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Turner has moved on from the Pacers

It's no secret that Turner and the Pacers went through an ugly divorce, which is why he was happy to close out that chapter.

While Indiana fully expected the free agent center to return, they low-balled him financially. There was reportedly a $40 million difference between what the Pacers offered and what the Bucks gave Turner, as noted in a recent article by ESPN's Jamal Collier. Turner being mentioned in trade rumors every year of his career certainly didn't help either.

That's no way to treat the longest-tenured player on the team and a crucial piece of their success. Turner went where he was valued. Simple. So far, with the Milwaukee Bucks, who were glad to snatch the big man away from their rival, Turner has certainly been valued. They've consistently made it clear how happy they are to have their center of the future secured for the long haul.

Turner has been almost exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks have needed so far. He's still looking to find his footing offensively, with the big man hot and cold most nights, but his defense has changed this team early on. For a team that has been starved of athletic, mobile big men in recent memory, having Turner has been a shot in the arm.

All of this was on display in the game against Indiana, Turner's first against his former squad. He was met with boos during introductions and every time he touched the ball, but he didn't let that hold him back. Though he had just nine points, the big man asserted himself defensively with five blocks on some of his former teammates. Turner was certainly happy to get the win.

None of this is going away. The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers will meet again, and the rivalry between the two will continue. Yet, as Pacers fans boo Turner to no end, they should remember that their front office did this to them, not Turner.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations