NBA Rumors: Does Myles Turner have a long-term future with the Indiana Pacers after this season?
It's admittedly been a season full of ups and downs for the Indiana Pacers. However, over the last three-plus months of the season, the Pacers have looked a little more like the team that closed last season on an unlikely deep playoff run vs. the one that started out this season in constant disappointment.
Since the middle of December, it's almost as if something began to click for the Pacers. During that span, the Pacers were 33-15. That's good enough for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall best record in the NBA. They've continued to put together a strong brand of basketball and currently find themselves as a top-4 seed in the conference.
At the very least, the Pacers have done just enough to put them in a position to make some noise in the East playoffs. Whether they'll be able to make a strong enough run like last season remains to be seen, but it's clear this team has certainly changed the narrative on where they were at the beginning of the season.
The Indiana Pacers' recent turnaround
While the change in Tyrese Haliburton's game is going to get the most credit for Indiana's turnaround, a free agent-to-be like Myles Turner can't be overlooked, either. In a contract year, Turner is averaging 16 points and seven rebounds on 48 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Sure, his numbers have taken a bit of a hit since the addition of Pascal Siakam, but Turner's paint and perimeter presence is still something that the Pacers would certainly miss. That's why it's such a big decision for this front office heading into the offseason.
In theory, the Pacers should want to re-sign Turner. In many ways, it would be considered a no-brainer. However, Indiana's payroll situation makes it quite complicated. The Pacers reportedly want to avoid the luxury tax, as they traditionally have in the past. But if the Pacers want to maintain that level of financial flexibility, it could prove difficult to re-sign Turner. He's in line for a big payday this offseason, and I'm not sure there's a path toward re-signing Turner without the Pacers entering the luxury tax line.
Unless, of course, the Pacers are willing to make other salary-cutting moves before re-signing Turner. That could be considered a big ask for the front office. In many respects, it could probably come down to this: Would the Pacers much rather pay Bennedict Mathurin, who will be in line for a contract extension soon, or do they want to keep Turner?
This entire situation may not be that simple, but it could go a long way in simplifying things for the Pacers heading into the future. At the very least, it's something to keep a close eye on heading into the offseason.