Pacers Lowballed Myles Turner, Who Wanted to Stay Before Joining Bucks for $107 Million
Perhaps the most shocking move in free agency so far is the fact that Myles Turner moved on from the Pacers and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. Turner signed a four-year, $107 million deal.
That deal means that the longest-tenured player on the Pacers has finally left the franchise. He spent the first 10 years of his career with Indiana, despite numerous trade rumors over the years.
Turner had made it known that he wanted to return to Indiana. Despite that fact, the Pacers still reportedly gave Turner a low-ball offer to bring him back.
Read more: Pacers Lose Myles Turner to East Rival in $107 Million Deal
Indiana decided not to offer Turner anything over three years and $60 million, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
That deal would have kept the Pacers from entering the luxury tax, but it’s clearly a slap in the face to Turner. He spent the first 10 years of his career with the Pacers, and that’s all they offered him?
It’s clear that after Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, owner Herb Simon decided not to pay into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years.
That kind of cheap behavior is why Turner decided to bolt for a division rival. The Pacers and the Bucks have developed one of the NBA’s best rivalries in the last couple of years.
That rivalry will only increase now that Turner chose to sign with the Bucks instead of returning to Indiana. Turner wanted to go somewhere that he felt wanted.
