The Indiana Pacers were left completely stunned after franchise cornerstone Myles Turner joined their division rivals, the Milwaukee Bucks, without warning or giving them a chance to counter the offer.
Turner, who had spent a decade in Indiana and became the franchise’s all-time blocks leader, had been in what the team described as “good faith negotiations” with the front office, only for everything to unravel within hours.
Kevin Pritchard, the Pacers’ President of Basketball Operations, expressed both his shock and disappointment in a press conference.
“I don’t want to get into the specifics of Myles because the truth is, he gave ten great years here,” Pritchard began. “I loved having him here. I hope I’m friends with him for a long time. But I will say this: Herb Simon, Stephen Simon and the entire ownership group were fully prepared to go deep into the tax to keep him.”
Pritchard emphasized that Indiana was never given a chance to counter the offer. Turner’s camp reportedly did not circle back to inform them before finalizing a deal with Milwaukee, a four-year, $107 million contract featuring a player option and a 15% trade kicker.
“We were deep in conversations with Myles. And then we just saw he had accepted Milwaukee’s offer. That’s part of this business that is challenging. But yes, we were blindsided.”
Turner’s departure cuts deeper considering the budding rivalry between the Pacers and Bucks. Indiana eliminated Milwaukee in each of the last two postseasons, building real animosity between the two squads.
Turner, as the Pacers’ defensive anchor and longest-tenured player, was a huge part of that. His career averages of 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 36.2% shooting from three made him one of the most versatile bigs in the league.
Turner’s unexpected exit comes at the worst possible time for Indiana. With superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton expected to miss the entire 2025–26 season due to a torn Achilles, the Pacers had hoped to keep Turner as a pillar to stabilize the team in his absence.
Now, they face the daunting task of finding a new starting center and retooling a roster that had just made the NBA Finals, falling in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the wake of this shocking departure, one trade target has emerged as a possible solution: Walker Kessler. The Utah Jazz center has drawn interest from multiple teams, including the Lakers, but the Pacers could now re-enter the picture.
Kessler, a younger and cheaper defensive anchor, could be the perfect fit to replace Turner and maintain Indiana’s elite interior presence while Haliburton rehabs.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, pulled off an incredible cap gymnastics act to make this happen. As part of the same offseason reshuffle, they waived Damian Lillard and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract across five years to clear the space for Turner.
It’s a ruthless and cold-blooded move, but one that might change the balance of power in the East.
For the Pacers, it’s heartbreak. For the Bucks, it’s a potential heist.
