NBA Trade Rumors: The New York Knicks are expected to target Myles Turner.
As the Indiana Pacers begin to take calls for a trio of their core, which includes Myles Turner, the expectation is that there will be plenty of interest around the league as we inch closer and closer to the NBA Trade Deadline.
One team that has already registered reported interest in Turner specifically is the New York Knicks. According to a recent report, there are some inside the Knicks’ organization that want to pursue a trade for Turner.
That makes sense to a certain extent. New York has gotten inconsistent production from the center position this season and would like to solidify that weakness. Nerlens Noel has missed half of the team’s games this season and Mitchell Robinson has seen a drop off in production this season.
That opens the door for a discussion around Turner to take place in the organization. For everything that he’s not, Turner is one of the most consistent centers in the league. He’s not a star, per se, but he’s a player that knows his role and plays it to near perfection.
He has his faults as a player, but Turner is averaging 13 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks per game on 53 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
He’s a player that will immediately help solidify New York’s interior defense and is a player that doesn’t give up much on the other end as well. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to have an impact offensive and could stretch the defense effectively.
Turner is also on a manageable contract. He has one year remaining at $18 million after this season and, if all else fails, would emerge as a trade piece for the Knicks next season if they don’t want to retain him.
As the Knicks have faded over the last few weeks in the Eastern Conference – they’ve fallen to 11th in the conference with a 12-13 record – it’s not surprising to see them already connected to Turner.
The big question is whether or not Turner is the right fit for the Knicks.