Myles Turner will join Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee as the team chases another NBA championship, though he could have remained a Pacer this offseason.
In a stunning move, the Bucks waived Damian Lillard and signed Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract Tuesday. This change in scenery comes less than two weeks after the Pacers lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Turner, who was the Pacers’ longest-tenured player before his departure, spent the first 10 years of his career in Indiana. According to Spencer Davies of RG.org, the big man had hoped to remain with the Pacers, though neither side was able to come to terms on an agreement.
“RG has learned that Turner would have stayed in Indiana for $25 million per year, but the organization wouldn’t budge on the amount, offering a three-year, $66 million contract,” Davies wrote.
The Pacers also reportedly declined to offer the 29-year-old center a player option in the final year of his contract — something the Bucks were able to include. Instead of taking the surprisingly low offer from Indiana, Turner signed a long-term deal with one of the team’s fiercest rivals in Milwaukee.
MORE: Myles Turner chose Milwaukee after Pacers’ underwhelming free agency offers
The Texas product can stretch the floor and remains an elite rim protector, averaging 2.3 blocks per game over his career. He has also shot 36.2 percent from three-point range during that span — including a career-high 39.6 percent on 5.5 attempts per game in 2024-25.
Turner is coming off another productive season in 2024-25, during which he averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 three-pointers, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 assists per game across 72 regular-season appearances.
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