When Myles Turner was selected towards the end of the 2015 NBA Draft Lottery with the 11th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers, expectations were sky high for him to develop into one of the league’s premier big men.
Turner boasted the requisite interior skills and an impressive outside stroke that made him, on the surface, one of the most well-rounded prospects. Though Turner’s first four years in the league have been anything but consistent, a major payday is now on the way. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Turner has agreed to a four-year, $80 million extension with the Pacers.
Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract extension.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 15, 2018
Expected to blossom into a full-blown star following the departure of Paul George, Myles Turner actually took a back seat last season to the emerging Victor Oladipo. Though Turner has every imaginable trait to be a dominant center in today’s NBA, that jump simply hasn’t been made for some reason.
Now with a major contract under his belt, perhaps Turner can lock in and take that next step towards becoming a top big man. Still only 22 years old, the Texas product should provide Indiana with an elite long-term complement to Oladipo if he develops as expected.
Last season though Turner’s numbers all dipped, as he averaged 12.7 points to go along with just 6.4 rebounds in 65 appearances. Hopefully, Turner is able to transform into the top-tier talent he is clearly capable of and aids a playoff run for a darkhorse Pacers team this season.
