It's been clear for months that something went down behind the scenes between Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers before his abrupt departure. Now, a few months after leaving Indiana to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, Turner went into great detail on the departure on a new episode of Thanalysis, the podcast hosted by fellow Buck Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
"All everybody told me was, ‘Myles, just keep your head down. Keep your head down and work. You’re going to get taken care of.’Then I hear the rumors: ‘Indiana’s going into the luxury tax for the first time ever.’ Yada yada yada. Everybody gassed me up all year long.
‘You’re going to get taken care of.’ Then the unfortunate situation happens in the Finals with Tyrese [Haliburton], and I guess the front office and ownership just changed their mind."
Pacers changed their tune on Turner
As Turner talked about during the episode, everyone on the Pacers was getting new deals but him. When it came time to negotiate his deal, despite the Pacers constantly telling him they would take care of someone who had been with them for 10 seasons, Indiana stepped back and decided they didn't want to dish out top-of-the-market money for Turner.
According to The Athletic's Eric Nehm, Sam Amick, and Joe Vardon (subscription required), Indiana's final offer to Turner topped out at $23 million per year. They didn't want to "overpay" for his services. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks quietly stepped up to the plate, offered Turner $27 million in average salary over the next four years, and inked his signature.
Haliburton's injury absolutely played a part in Indiana's decision. With the guard likely to miss the year after tearing his Achilles in the NBA Finals, the Pacers knew this coming season would be a gap year. They didn't want to pay significant money knowing their star player was likely not going to play even a single second. Instead, they felt comfortable low-balling him, and he walked.
The Pacers were shocked when Turner left, and they've tried to pick up the pieces with other moves. That hasn't worked out well for them yet.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks are beyond thrilled that they have found their center of the future. While he's yet to get going on offense, Turner has been a shot in the arm on defense, helping make this team the athletic, versatile unit they've been dreaming of being. Once he gets those shots to fall on top of it, he will be even better. And it's all because the Pacers didn't want to pay him.
Turner's first crack at his former team is nearing. The Milwaukee Bucks will face the Pacers for the first time this season on November 3. That Indiana crowd certainly won't applaud Turner when his name is called during warmups. He's going to be booed like he's never been booed before.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.