In 10 years with the Pacers, Myles Turner established himself as a floor-spacing big man and elite shot blocker. That's what the Milwaukee Bucks have gotten and then some during Turner's first few games with the franchise. Yet, the Bucks have also unlocked a skill nowhere to be found in Indiana: Turner's ability as a passer.
Turner's transformation is apparent in the box score (and beyond)
Facilitating wasn't part of his job description in Indiana, where Tyrese Haliburton ran the show as a paragon of point guards. Built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and a collection of combo guards, the Bucks' operation relies more heavily on a by-committee approach to distributing the rock. Everyone needs to contribute. Turner has answered the call.
With the Pacers, Turner topped out at 1.6 assists per game. The ball never stopped flying in Indiana's high-paced offense, but there he served more as an endpoint than a fulcrum. Turner's job was to receive the pass and take the shot.
Through six games in Milwaukee, he is averaging 2.5 assists despite a goose egg in the Bucks' loss to the Kings, when Turner ran into foul trouble. Every game before then he recorded at least two. He had one such five-game streak all last season with the Pacers.
Much of Turner's impact in the Bucks' system doesn't even show up on a stat sheet. He has not only found open teammates consistently, but he has also been responsible for creating open looks himself. Some of that has come via screen-setting, a conventional center's function, but he has also initiated actions to collapse the defense and kick out to perimeter shooters.
Rather than chucking up his own shot, he has deferred to teammates to get the Bucks the best possible shot. Nowhere was that more evident than during a sequence against the Knicks. An ice-cold 1-of-5 for the game, Turner passed up an open three and drove to the basket.
As calculated, that action drew a help defender and allowed the hot-handed Ryan Rollins to sneak into Turner's vacated spot in the corner. Turner bounced a nifty behind-the-back pass to an open Rollins, who then drained one of his four threes in four tries on the night.
His floor vision has been surprising for a big man. He and Giannis have played an effective two-man game with one finding the other cutting to the basket for dunks or layups. Even more so with Giannis off the floor, Doc Rivers has trusted Turner with the ball in his hands, and he has paid it off.
Only twice in his career has he posted an assist-to-turnover ratio higher than one, and then just barely. In the early going, Turner has a respectable 1.5 ratio this season. By comparison, Giannis' is 2.6 and was 2.1 last year. Turner's 17.7 assist percentage would be a career-best by a mile, nearly double last season's mark.
Turner has returned to elite form defensively. The 3-point shot is getting there (he is 6-of-10 in his last two games). The shot volume will come. With what he has shown as a passer, the Bucks have gotten more than they bargained for. Labeled a system player in Indiana, this version of Myles Turner suggests that, if anything, the Pacers' offense was only holding him back.