Though the Eastern Conference has been weakened even more this summer than it already was, the Indiana Pacers remain a distant afterthought. They traded away their one-time franchise centerpiece and overall best player in Paul George and also saw their starting point guard Jeff Teague sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While they also added a few solid pieces such as Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, and Bojan Bogdanovic, there’s no doubt third-year man Myles Turner is now the focal point of this franchise. In just two short years, Turner has solidified himself as one of the much better up and coming bigs the NBA has to offer and his game is only expected to improve.
Turner recently talked to SiriusXM NBA Radio about what he sees the Pacers accomplishing this season, citing the playoffs as a team expectation and making the All-Star team a personal goal of his:
?? Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) expects his @Pacers to make the playoffs & wants to be an All-Star pic.twitter.com/DxBNmLIdKu
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) August 9, 2017
While some may see Turner’s goals heading into the campaign as lofty, it’s always good to have confidence in yourself and your team’s abilities. Indiana did lose some key pieces this summer but with the lack of depth in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers could be one of the teams vying for a final playoff seed down the stretch.
And as for Turner hoping to make the All-Star team, now would be as opportune a time as ever to make that jump. The East has been decimated of talent this offseason that would be considered frontcourt players for the All-Star game such as Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Paul Millsap, and maybe even Carmelo Anthony before this offseason wraps up.
Look for Turner to continue improving his game as he gets closer to his peak and for the Pacers to be a team that could surprise a lot of people next season.
